;-NRLF 


I 


/"ft  P.  a  K  E  I  6  Y\ 

1   LIBRARY 


Y    O.c 
CAUFORKSA 


BOOKS  BY 

MARGARET  SIDNEY 

A  LITTLE  MAID  OF  CONCORD  TOWN 

Illustrated  by  Frank  T.  Merrill 

A  LITTLE  MAID  OF  BOSTON  TOWN 

Illustrated  by  Frank  T.  Merrill 

THE  FAMOUS  PEPPER  BOOKS 

IN      ORDER      OF      PUBLICATION 
Twelve  Volumes         Illustrated 

FIVE  LITTLE  PEPPERS  AND  HOW  THEY  GREW 
FIVE  LITTLE  PEPPERS  MIDWAY 
FIVE  LITTLE  PEPPERS  GROWN  UP 
PHRONSIE  PEPPER 
THE  STORIES  POLLY  PEPPER  TOLD 
THE  ADVENTURES  OF  JOEL  PEPPER 
FIVE  LITTLE  PEPPERS  ABROAD 
FIVE  LITTLE  PEPPFRS  AT  SCHOOL 
FIVE  LITTLE  PEPPERS  AND  THEIR  FRIENDS 
BEN  PEPPER 

FIVE    LITTLE    PEPPERS    IN    THE    LITTLE    BROWN 
HOUSE 

OUR  DA  VIE  PEPPER 


LOTHROP,   LEE    &    SHEPARD    CO.,   BOSTON 


TAKK    KICKI    I'!       UK     liK.AT.    Too.    AS    MUCH    AS    1." 


FIVE  LITTLE  PEPPERS 
AT  SCHOOL 


By 

MARGARET  SIDNEY 

AUTHOR  OF  "  FIVE  LITTLE 
PEPPERS  ABROAD,"  "  A 
LITTLE  MAID  OF  CONCORD 
TOWN,"  "  SALLY,  MRS.TUBBS  " 


Illustrated  by 
HERMANN    HEYER 


BOSTON  & 

LOTHROP,    LEE    &    SHEPARD    CO. 


FDUC-PSYCH 


J*        PEPPER        Jl 

TRADE-MARK 

Registered  in  U.  S.  Patent  Office. 


COP  Y R  I G  H  T, 

r  9  o  3  ,  BY 

L  O  T  H  R  O  P 
PUBLISHING 
C  O  M  P  A  N  Y. 


AT.  L    RIGHTS 
R  E  S  E  R  V  E  D 


PUBL  IS  H  E  D 
NOV.       1903 


Fifty-fourth  Thousand. 


PREFACE 


story  of  young  people's  lives  is  not 
complete  without  many  and  broad  glimpses 
of  their  school  days.  It  was  impossible  to 
devote  the  space  to  this  recital  of  the  Five 
Little  Peppers'  school  life,  in  the  books  that 
showed  their  growing  up.  The  author,  there 
fore,  was  obliged  unwillingly  to  omit  all  the 
daily  fun  and  study  and  growth,  that  she,  loving 
them  as  if  they  were  real  children  before  her 
eyes,  saw  in  progress. 

So  she  packed  it  all  away  in  her  mind,  ready 
to  tell  to  all  those  young  people  who  also  loved 
the  Peppers,  when  they  clamored  for  more 
stories  about  them — just  what  Polly  and  Joel 
and  David  did  in  their  merry  school  days.  Ben 
never  got  as  much  schooling  as  the  others,  for 
he  insisted  on  getting  into  business  life  as  early 
as  possible,  in  order  the  sooner  to  begin  to  pay 
Grandpapa  King  back  for  all  his  kindness.  But 
Jasper  and  Percy  and  Van  joined  the  Peppers 
3 


4  PREFACE 

at    school,   and   a  right    merry   time    they   had 
of  it! 

And  now  the  time  seems  ripe  to  accede  to  all 
the  insistent  demands  from  those  who  love  the 
Five  Little  Peppers,  that  this  record  of  their 
school  days  should  be  given.  So  here  it  is, 
just  as  they  all  gave  it  to 

MARGARET   SIDNEY. 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER 
I, 

II. 
III. 

IV. 

V. 

VI. 

VII. 

VIII 

IX. 

X. 

XI. 

XII. 

XIII. 

XIV. 

XV. 

XVI. 

XVII. 

XVIII. 


PAGE 

HARD  TIMES  FOR  JOEL 9 

THE  TENNIS  MATCH      . 24 

A  NARROW  ESCAPE 35 

OF  VARIOUS  THINGS 49 

AT  SILVIA  HORNE'S 60 

THE  ACCIDENT 75 

THE  SALISBURY  GIRLS 89 

"  WE'RE  TO  HAVE  OUR  PICNIC  1 "    .     .     .     .  105 

ALL  ABOUT  THE  POOR  BRAKEMAN     .     .     .  121 

JOEL  AND  His  DOG *35 

THE  UNITED  CLUBS 154 

SOME  EVERY-DAY  FUN \     .  173 

THE  PICNIC 186 

Miss  SALISBURY'S  STORY 206 

THE  BROKEN  VASE 233 

NEW  PLANS 247 

PHRONSIE 262 

TOM'S  STORY 280 

5 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

XJX.        THE  GRAND  ENTERTAINMENT 300 

XX.  THE  CORCORAN  FAMILY ^22 

XXI.  AT  THE  PLAY ^ 

XXII.  PICKERING  DODGE 368 

XXIII.  THE  CLEMCY  GARDEN  PARTY 389 

XXIV.  THE' PIECE  OF  NEWS 4I? 

XXV.  "THE  VERY  PRETTIEST  AFFAIR"  ....    435 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGE 

"  TAKE  RICKET  !  HE  BEAT  Too,  AS  MUCH  AS  I." 

Frontispiece 

AND  SHE   TOLD  THEM   THE   WHOLE   STORY   AS 

FAST  AS  SHE  COULD 100 

JUST    THEN    SOMETHING    SKIMMED    OUT    FROM 

THE    CORNER 1^5 

"I   NEVER   Din  REGARD   PICNICS  AS  PLEASANT 

AFFAIRS,"  GASPED  Miss  ANSTICE 206 

"SEE,  JOEL,  I'M  ALL  FIXED  UP  NICE,"  LAUGHED 

PHRONSIE  FROM  HER  PERCH.    ......    286 

'•  OH,   I    Do  HOPE  I  SHALL   DRAW  THE   RIGHT 

ONF,  JASPER." 307 

"AND  So  WE  HAD  A  LITTLE  ENTERTAINMENT, 
AND  SOLD  THE  TICKETS,  AND  HERE  is  OUR 
GIFT!" 337 

THERE  STOOD  THE  LITTLE  VASE,  PRESENTING 
AS  BRAVE  AN  APPEARANCE  AS  IN  ITS  FIRST 
PERFECTION 412 


Five  Little  Peppers  at  School 


I    HARD   TIMES   FOR  JOEL 

COME  on,  Pepper."  One  of  the  boys 
rushed  down  the  dormitory  hall,  giving 
a  bang  on  Joel's  door  as  he  passed. 

"All  right,"  said  Joel  a  bit  crossly,  "I'm  com 
ing." 

"Last  bell,"  came  back  on  the  wind. 

Joel  threw  his  tennis  racket  on  the  bed,  and 
scowled.  Just  then  a  flaxen  head  peeped  in, 
and  two  big  eyes  stared  at  him. 

"Ugh!" --Joel  took  one  look  —  "off  with 
you,  Jenkins."  Jenkins  withdrew  at  once. 

Joel  jumped  up  and  slammed  the  door  hard, 
whirled  around  in  vexation,  sprang  over  and 
thrust  the  tennis  racket  under  the  bed,  seized  a 
dog-eared  book,  and  plunged  off,  taking  the  pre 
caution,  despite  his  hurry,  to  shut  the  door  fast 
behind  him. 

Jenkins  stole  out  of  his  room  three  doors 
9 


io          FIVE  LITTLE  PEPPERS  AT  SCHOOL 

beyond,  and  as  the  hall  was  almost  deserted 
about  this  hour,  so  many  boys  being  in  recita 
tion,  he  had  nothing  to  do  but  tiptoe  down  to 
Joel's  room  and  go  softly  in. 

"Hullo!"     A  voice  behind  made  him  skip. 

" Oh,  Berry,"  —  it  was  a  tone  of  relief,  —  "it's 
you." 

"Urn,"  said  Berry,  "what's  up  now,  Jenk?" 
He  tossed  back  his  head,  while  a  smile  of  delight 
ran  all  over  his  face. 

"Hush--  come  here."  Jenk  had  him  now 
within  Joel's  room  and  the  door  shut.  "We'll 
have  fun  with  the  beggar  now." 

"Who-— Dave?" 

"  Dave  ?  No.  Who  wants  to  haul  him  over  ?  " 
cried  Jenk  in  scorn.  "You  are  a  flat,  Berry,  if 
you  think  that." 

"Well,  you  are  a  flat,  if  you  think  to  tackle 
Joe,"  declared  Berry  with  the  air  and  tone  of 
one  who  knows.  "Better  let  him  alone,  after 
what  you  got  last  term." 

"Well,  I  ain't  going  to  let  him  alone,"  declared 
Jenk  angrily,  and  flushing  all  up  to  his  shock  of 
light  hair;  "and  I  gave  him  quite  as  good  as  he 
gave  me,  I'd  have  you  know,  Tom  Beresford." 

"Hoh,  hoh!"     Tom  gave  a  howl  of  derision, 


HARD    TIMES    FOR    JOEL  n 

and  slapped  his  knee  in  pure  delight.  "Tell  that 
to  the  marines,  sonny,"  he  said. 

"Hush  —  old  Fox  will  hear  you.  Be  still, 
can't  you?"  -  twitching  his  jacket  —  "and  stop 
your  noise." 

"I  can't  help  it;  ^ou  say  such  very  funny 
things,"  said  Beresford,  wiping  his  eyes. 

"Well,  anyway,  I'm  going  to  pay  him  up  this 
term,"  declared  Jenkins  decidedly.  He  was  rush 
ing  around  the  small  room;  the  corners  devoted 
to  David  being  neatness  itself,  which  couldn't 
truthfully  be  said  of  Joel's  quarters.  "I'm  after 
his  new  tennis  racket.  Where  in  thunder  is  it?" 
tossing  up  the  motley  array  of  balls,  dumb-bells, 
and  such  treasures,  that  showed  on  their  surface 
they  belonged  to  no  one  but  Joel 

"Great  Scott!"  Tom  cried  with  sudden  inter 
est,  and  coming  out  of  his  amusement.  "You 
won't  find  it." 

"Saw  him  looking  at  it  just  now,  before  he 
went  to  class,"  cried  Jenkins,  plunging  around  the 
room.  "Where  is  the  thing?"  he  fumed. 

Berry  gave  a  few  swift,  bird-like  glances  around 
the  room,  then  darted  over  to  the  end  of  one  of 
the  small  beds,  leaned  down,  and  picked  out  from 
underneath  the  article  in  question. 


12          FIVE  LITTLE  PEPPERS  AT  SCHOOL 

"Oh!  give  it  to  me,"  cried  Jenk,  flying  at  him, 
and  possessing  himself  of  the  treasure;  "it's 
mine;  I  told  you  of  it." 

"Isn't  it  a  beauty!"  declared  Berry,  his  eyes 
very  big  and  longing. 

"Ha,  ha  — ain't  it?  Well,  Joe  won't  see  this 
in  one  spell." 

Jenkins  gave  it  a  swing  over  his  head,  then 
batted  his  knee  with  it. 

"What  are  you  going  to  do,  Jenk?"  demanded 
Berry,  presently,  when  he  could  get  his  mi^d  off 
from  the  racket  itself. 

"Do?  Ha,  ha!  Who  says  I  can't  pay  the 
beggar  back?"  grinned  Jenk,  hopping  all  over 
the  room,  and  knocking  into  things  generally. 

"Hush  —  hush,"  warned  Berry,  plunging  after 
him;  "here's  old  Fox,"  which  brought  both  boys 
up  breathless  in  the  middle  of  the  floor. 

"She's  gone  by"  —a  long  breath  of  relief; 
"and  there  she  goes  down  the  stairs,"  finished 
Berry. 

"Sure?"  Not  daring  to  breathe,  but  clutching 
the  racket  tightly,  and  with  one  eye  on  Berry, 
Jenk  cried  again  in  a  loud  whisper,  "Sure, 
Berry?" 

"As    if    any    one    could    mistake   the   flap   of 


HARD   TIMES    FOR  JOEL  13 

those  slipper-heels  on  the  stairs!"  said  Berry 
scornfully. 

"Well,  look  out  of  the  window,"  suggested 
Jenk  suddenly.  "She'll  go  across  the  yard, 
maybe." 

So  Berry  dashed  to  the  window,  and  gave  one 
look.  "There  she  sails  with  a  bottle  in  her 
hand,  going  over  to  South"  (the  other  dormitory 
across  the  yard).  "Most  likely  Jones  has  the 
colic  again.  Good!  Now  that  disposes  finely  of 
old  Fox,"  which  brought  him  back  to  the  subject 
in  hand,  the  disposal  of  Joel's  racket. 

"Give  me  that,"  he  said,  hurrying  over  to 
Jenkins. 

"No,  you  don't,"  said  that  individual;  "and  I 
must  be  lively  before  old  Fox  gets  back."  With 
that,  he  rushed  out  of  the  room. 

"If  you  don't  give  me  that  racket,  I'll  tell  on 
you,"  cried  Beresford  in  a  passion,  flying  after 
him. 

"Hush!"  Jenk  turned  on  him  suddenly,  and 
gripped  him  fast.  "See  here,"  he  cried  in  a  sup 
pressed  tone,  and  curbing  his  anger  as  best  he 
could,  "you  don't  want  Joe  to  go  into  that 
match,  this  afternoon,  with  this  racket."  He 
shook  it  with  eager,  angry  fingers. 


i4         FIVE  LITTLE  PEPPEES  AT  SCHOOL 

'  No,"  said  Berry  without  stopping  to  think, 
"I  don't/' 

"Well,  then,  you  better  keep  still,  and  hold 
your  tongue,"  advised  Jenk  angrily. 

"Well,  what  are  you  going  to  do  with  it?" 

"None  of  your  -  ''  what,  he  didn't  say,  for 
just  then  a  boy  flew  out  of  his  room,  to  tear 
down  the  long  hall.  He  had  his  baek  to  them, 
and  there  was  no  time  to  skip  back  into  Jenkins' 
own  room,  for  the  two  had  already  passed  it. 
One  wild  second,  and  Jenkins  thrust  the  racket 
into  the  depths  of  the  housemaid's  closet  close  at 
hand,  under  some  cleaning-cloths  on  a  shelf. 
Then  he  stuck  his  hands  in  his  pockets. 

"Hullo!"  The  boy  who  was  rushing  along, 
suddenly  turned,  to  see  him  whistling. 

"Oh  Jenk,  is  that  you?  See  here,  where's 
your  Cassar?" 

"Don't  know  —  gone  up  the  spout,"  said  Jen 
kins  carelessly,  and  keeping  well  in  front  of 
Beresford. 

"Well,  who  has  one?  You  haven't,  Berry?" 
He  turned  to  Tom  anxiously. 

"Not  on  your  life  he  hasn't,"  Jenk  answered 
for  him. 

"Botheration!"    ejaculated    the    boy.      "I've 


HARD    TIMES   FOR   JOEL  15 

fifty  lines  to  do,  else  I'm  shut  in  from  the 
game.  And  Simmons  has  run  off  with  my 
book." 

"Try  Joe  Pepper's  room;  he's  in  math  recita 
tion,"  said  Jenk  suddenly.  "He  has  one,  Toppy." 

"You're  a  brick."  Toppy  flew  down  the  hall, 
and  bolted  into  Joel's  room. 

"Holy  Moses,  what  luck!  He'll  prowl  for  an 
hour  over  Joe's  duds.  Come  on."  Jenk  had  his 
head  in  the  cupboard,  and  his  fingers  almost  on 
the  racket,  when  Toppy's  voice  rang  dismally 
down  the  hall:  "Joe  must  have  taken  it." 

Jenk  pulled  his  fingers  out,  and  had  the  door 
fast,  and  was  quite  turned  away  from  the  danger 
ous  locality.  "Well,  I  don't  know  what  you'll 
do,  Toppy,"  he  said,  controlling  his  dismay 
enough  to  speak.  "Run  down  and  skin  through 
the  fellows'  rooms  on  first  floor.  Oh,  good  gra 
cious!"  he  groaned,  "it's  all  up  with  getting  it 
now,"  as  a  swarm  of  boys  came  tumbling  over 
the  stairs. 

So  he  mixed  with  them,  laughing  and  talking, 
and  Berry  melted  off  somewhere.  And  no  one 
had  time  to  think  a  syllable  of  anything  but  the 
great  game  of  tennis  to  be  called  at  two  o'clock, 
between  the  two  divisions  of  Dr.  Marks'  boys. 


16         FIVE  LITTLE  PEPPERS  AT  SCHOOL 

Some  of  the  team  of  the  St.  Andrew's  School,  a 
well-known  set  of  fellows  at  this  sport  and  ter 
ribly  hard  to  beat,  were  going  to  be  visitors.  So 
there  was  unusual  excitement. 

"What's  up,  Pepper?"  A  howl  that  rose  above 
every  other  sort  of  din  that  was  then  in  progress, 
came  from  Joel's  room. 

"He's  been  in  here  I"  Joel  plunged  out  of  the 
doorway,  tossing  his  black,  curly  locks,  that  were 
always  his  bane,  his  eyes  flashing  dangerously. 
"Say,  where's  Jenk?  He's  been  in  my  room," 
he  cried,  doubling  up  his  small  fists. 

"What  is  it?"  cried  Jenkins,  making  as  if  just 
coming  up  the  stairs.  "What's  all  the  row 
about?" 

"You've  been  in  my  room,"  shouted  Joel  in  a 

loud,  insistent  voice,  "and  taken  my The 

rest  was  lost  in  a  babel  of  voices. 

"What?  What's  gone,  Joe?"  They  all 
crowded  into  the  small  space,  and  swarmed  all 
over  the  room. 

"My  racket,"  yelled  Joel  wrathfully.  "Jenk 
has  got  it;  he  better  give  it  up.  Quick  now." 
He  pushed  up  the  sleeves  of  his  tennis  shirt,  and 
squared  off,  glaring  at  them  all,  but  making  the 
best  of  his  way  over  toward  Jenk. 


HARD    TIMES    FOR   JOEL  17 

That  individual,  when  he  saw  him  coming, 
thought  it  better  to  get  behind  some  intervening 
boys.  Everybody  huddled  against  everybody  else, 
and  it  was  impossible  to  get  at  the  truth. 

"See  here  now,  Mother  Fox  will  be  after  us 
all  if  you  don't  hush  up,"  called  one  boy.  "I 
guess  she's  coming,"  which  had  the  desired  effect. 
All  the  voices  died  down  except  Joel's. 

"I  don't  care,"  said  Joel  wrathfully.  "I  wish 
she  would  come.  Jenk  has  got  my  racket.  He 
saw  me  with  it  before  I  ran  to  math;  and  now 
it's  gone."  All  eyes  turned  to  Jenkins. 

"  Is  that  so  ?  "  A  half-dozen  hands  pushed  him 
into  the  centre  of  the  group.  "Then  you've  got 
to  give  him  fits,  Pepper." 

"I'm  going  to,"  announced  Joel,  pushing  up 
his  sleeves  higher  yet,  "until  he  tells  where  it  is. 
Come  on,  Jenk."  He  tossed  his  head  like  a 
young  lion,  and  squared  off. 

"I  haven't  your  old  racket,"  declared  Jenk,  a 
white  line  beginning  to  come  around  his  mouth. 
It  wasn't  pleasant  to  see  his  reckoning  quite  so 
near. 

"Then  you  know  where  it  is,"  declared  Joel. 

"And  give  it  to  the  beggar,"  cried  several  of 
the  boys,  with  whom  Jenkins  was  by  no  means  a 
favorite. 


i8       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"Give  it  to  him  worse  than  you  did  last  term, 
Joe,"  called  some  one  on  the  edge  of  the  circle 
closing  around  the  two. 

"I'm  going  to,"  nodded  Joel,  every  nerve  in 
his  body  tingling  to  begin.  "Come  on,  Jenk,  if 
you  won't  tell  where  you've  put  my  racket." 

"He's  afraid,"  said  the  boy  who  had  advised 
the  more  severe  pommelling,  "old  'fraid-cat!" 

Jenkins,  his  knees  knocking  together  miserably, 
but  with  a  wild  rage  in  his  heart  at  these  words, 
struck  out  blindly  to  meet  Joel's  sturdy  little  fists, 
and  to  find  his  Waterloo. 

In  the  midst  of  the  din  and  confusion  that  this 
encounter  produced,  steps  that  could  never  by 
any  possibility  be  mistaken  for  those  of  a  school 
boy  struck  upon  their  ears. 

The  circle  of  spectators  flew  wide,  and  before 
Joel  and  Jenkins  realized  what  was  coming,  a 
good  two  dozen  hands  were  laid  on  their  collars, 
and  they  were  dragged  apart,  and  hauled  into 
separate  rooms,  the  rest  of  the  boys  scattering 
successfully.  Tom  Beresford  fled  with  the  rest, 
and  the  long  hall  was  cleared. 

"Boys!"  the  voice  of  the  matron,  Mrs.  Fox, 
rang  down  the  deserted,  long  hall,  as  she  looked 
up  from  the  stairway.  "Humph!  they  are  quiet 


HARD    TIMES    FOR   JOEL  19 

enough  now."  She  gave  a  restful  sigh,  and  went 
down  again.  Jones  and  his  colic  were  just  so 
much  extra  on  a  terribly  busy  day. 

"What  did  you  fellows  touch  me  for?"  roared 
Joel,  lifting  a  bloody  nose.  In  his  own  room, 
Jenkins  was  in  that  state  that  recognizes  any 
interruption  as  a  blessing. 

"Old  Fox  would  have  caught  you,  if  we 
hadn't  rushed  you  both,"  cried  the  boys. 

Tom  Beresford  worked  his  way  up  to  say  close 
to  Joel's  ear,  "  Don't  speak,  get  into  your  room; 
I'll  tell  you  where  it  is,"  then  melted  off  to  the 
outer  circle  of  boys. 

Joel  looked  up,  gave  a  little  nod,  then  broke 
away  from  the  boys,  and  dashed  to  Jenkins'  door. 

"See  here," — he  flung  the  words  out, — 
"  you've  got  to  finish  sometime  when  Mrs.  Fox 
isn't  round." 

Jenkins,  who  was  under  the  impression  that  he 
had  had  quite  enough,  was  made  to  say,  "All 
right;"  something  in  the  boys'  faces  making  it 
seem  imperative  that  he  should  do  so. 

Quite  pleased,  Joel  withdrew  as  suddenly  as  he 
had  come. 

Meanwhile,  up  the  stairs,  two  at  a  time,  came 
Davie,  singing  at  the  memory  of  the  special  com- 


20       FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT   SCHOOL 

mendation  given  by  his  instructor  in  the  recita 
tion  just  over;  and  secretly  David's  heart  bounded 
with  a  wild  hope  of  taking  home  a  prize  in 
classics  for  Mamsie! 

"Everything's  just  beautiful  this  term!"  he 
hummed  to  himself.  And  then,  in  a  breathing 
space  he  was  in  his  room,  and  there,  well  drawn 
behind  the  door,  was  a  boy  with  big  eyes. 
"  Hush"  he  warned. 

"What's  the  matter?"  asked  David  in  astonish 
ment,  "and  where's  Joel?" 

"Oh,  don't  speak  his  name;  he's  in  disgrace. 
Oh,  it's  perfectly  awful!"  The  boy  huddled  up 
in  a  heap,  and  tried  to  shut  the  door. 

"Who?"  cried  David,  not  believing  his  ears. 

"Joel  —  oh  dear!  it's  perfectly  awful!" 

"Stop  saying  it's  perfectly  awful,  Bates,  and 
tell  me  what's  the  matter."  Davie  felt  faintish, 
and  sat  down  on  the  shoe-box. 

Bates  shut  the  door  with  a  clap,  and  then 
came  to  stand  over  him,  letting  the  whole  infor 
mation  out  with  a  rush. 

"He's  pitched  into  Jenk  —  and  they've  had  a 
fight  —  and  they're  all  blood  —  and  the  old  Fox 
almost  got  'em  both."  Then  he  shut  his  mouth 
suddenly,  the  whole  being  told. 


HARD    TIMES    FOR   JOEL  21 

Davie  put  both  hands  to  his  head.  For  a 
minute  everything  turned  dark  around  him. 
Then  he  thought  of  Mamsie.  "Oh  dear  me!" 
he  said,  coming  to. 

"How  I  wish  he'd  had  it  all  out  with  that 
beggar!"  exploded  Bates  longingly. 

David  didn't  say  anything,  being  just  then 
without  words.  At  this  instant  Joel  rushed  in 
with  his  bloody  nose,  and  a  torn  sleeve  where 
Jenk  in  his  desperation  had  gripped  it  fast. 

"Oh  Joel!"  screamed  Davie  at  sight  of  him, 
and  springing  from  his  shoe-box.  "Are  you 
hurt?  Oh  Joey!" 

"Phoo!  that's  nothing,"  said  Joel,  running  over 
to  the  wash-basin,  and  plunging  his  head  in,  to 
come  up  bright  and  smiling.  "See,  Dave,  I'm 
all  right,"  he  announced,  his  black  eyes  shining. 
"But  he's  a  mean  beggar  to  steal  my  new  racket," 
he  concluded  angrily. 

"To  steal  your  new  racket  that  Grandpapa  sent 
you!"  echoed  David.  "Oh  dear  me!  who  has 
taken  it?  Oh  Joel!" 

"That  beggar  Jenkins,"  exploded  Joel.  "But 
I'm  to  know  where  it  is."  Just  then  the  door 
opened  cautiously,  enough  to  admit  a  head. 
"Don't  speak,  Pepper,  but  come." 


22       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

Joel  flung  down  the  towel,  and  pranced  to  the 
door. 

"No  one  else,"  said  the  boy  to  whom  the  head 
belonged. 

"Not  me?"  asked  David  longingly.  "Can't 
I  come?" 

"No  —  no  one  but  Joe."  Joel  rushed  over  the 
sill  tumultuously,  deserting  David  and  the  Bates 
boy. 

"Don't  speak  a  single  word,"  said  the  boy  out 
in  the  hall,  putting  his  mouth  close  to  Joel's  ear, 
"but  move  lively." 

No  need  to  tell  him  so.  In  a  minute  they 
were  both  before  the  housemaid's  closet. 

"Feel  under,"  whispered  the  boy,  with  a  sharp 
eye  down  the  length  of  the  hall. 

Joel's  brown  hands  pawed  among  the  cleaning- 
cloths  and  brushes,  bringing  up  in  a  trice  the 
racket,  Grandpapa's  gift,  to  flourish  it  high. 

"Take  care;  keep  it  down,"  said  the  boy  in  a 
hurried  whisper. 

"Oh,  oh  !  "  cried  Joel,  hanging  to  it  in  a 
transport. 

"Urn,"  the  boy  nodded.  "Hush,  be  still. 
Now  skip  for  your  room." 

"Beresford,"  said  Joel,  his  black  eyes  shining 


HARD    TIMES    FOR   JOEL  23 

as  he  paused  a  breathing  space  before  rushing 
back  to  Davie,  the  new  racket  gripped  fast,  "if 
I  don't  pay  Jenk  for  this!" 

"Do."  Tom  grinned  all  over  his  face  in  great 
delight;  "you'll  be  a  public  benefactor,"  and  he 
softly  beat  his  hands  together. 


II     THE  TENNIS   MATCH 

JOEL,    hugging   his   recovered   tennis   racket, 
rushed  off  to  the  court.     Tom    Beresford, 
staring  out  of  his  window,  paused  while  pulling 
on  his  sweater  to  see  him  go,  a  sorry  little  feeling 
at  his  heart,  after  all,  at  Joe's  good  spirits. 

"  He'll  play  like  the  mischief,  and  a  great  deal 
better  for  the  row  and  the  fright  over  that  old 
racket.  Well,  I  had  to  tell.  'Twould  have  been 
too  mean  for  anything  to  have  kept  still." 

So  he  smothered  a  sigh,  and  got  into  his  togs, 
seized  his  implements  of  battle,  and  dashed  off 
too.  Streams  of  boys  were  rushing  down  to  the 
court,  and  the  yard  was  black  with  them.  In  the 
best  places  were  the  visitors.  Royalty  couldn't 
have  held  stronger  claims  to  distinction  in  the 
eyes  of  Dr.  Marks'  boys;  and  many  were  the 
anxious  glances  sent  over  at  the  four  St.  An 
drew's  boys.  If  the  playing  shouldn't  come  up 
to  the  usual  high  mark ! 

"  Pepper  will  score  high,"  one  after  another 
24 


THE   TENNIS    MATCH  25 

said  as  he   dropped  to  the  ground  next  to  his 
chums,  in  the  circle  around  the  court. 

"Of  course."  Nobody  seemed  to  doubt  Joel's 
powers  along  that  line.  "He  always  does."  And 
cries  of  "Pepper  —  Pepper,"  were  taken  up,  and 
resounded  over  the  yard. 

Joel  heard  it  as  he  dashed  along,  and  he  held 
his  head  high,  well  pleased.  But  David  followed 
his  every  movement  with  anxiety.  "I'm  afraid 
he  was  hurt,"  he  said  to  himself;  "and  if  he 
should  lose  the  game,  he'd  never  get  over  it. 
Oh  dear  me!  if  Mamsie  could  only  be  here!" 

But  Mamsie  was  far  away  from  her  boys, 
whom  she  had  put  at  Dr.  Marks'  school  for  the 
very  purpose  of  achieving  self-reliance  and  obedi 
ence  to  the  training  of  the  little  brown  house. 
So  Davie,  smothering  his  longing,  got  into  a  front 
row  with  several  boys  of  his  set,  and  bent  all  his 
attention  to  the  game  just  beginning. 

Sharp  at  two  o'clock  the  four  went  on  to  the 
court  —  Joel  and  Fred  Ricketson  against  Tom 
Beresford  and  Lawrence  Greene,  otherwise 
"Larry."  And  amid  howls  of  support  from 
the  "rooters,"  the  game  began. 

At  first  Joel's  luck  seemed  to  desert  him,  and 
he  played  wild,  causing  much  consternation  in 


26       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT   SCHOOL 

the  ranks  violently  rooting  for  him.  David's 
head  sank,  and  he  leaned  his  elbows  on  his 
knees,  to  bury  his  hot  cheeks  in  his  hands. 

"Wake  up,"  cried  Paul  Sykes,  his  very  par 
ticular  friend,  hoarsely,  giving  him  a  dig  in  the 
ribs.  "Don't  collapse,  Dave." 

"Oh!"  groaned  David,  his  head  sinking  lower 
yet,  "I  can't  look;  I  simply  can't.  It  will  kill 
Joel." 

"Stiffen  up!"  cried  Paul.  "Joe's  all  right; 
he'll  come  to.  Ha !  " 

A  shout,  stunning  at  first,  that  finally  bore 
down  all  before  it  in  the  shape  of  opposing  enthu 
siasm,  swept  over  the  whole  yard.  Screams  of 
applause,  perfectly  deafening,  rent  the  air.  And 
look!  even  the  visitors  from  St.  Andrew's  are 
leaping  to  their  feet,  and  yelling,  "  Good  —  good." 
Something  quite  out  of  the  common,  even  in  a 
close  tennis  match,  was  taking  place.  David 
shuddered,  and  crouched  down  on  the  ground  as 
far  as  he  could.  Paul  gave  him  an  awful  whack 
on  the  back. 

"You're  losing  it  all,"  he  cried  as  he  stood  on 
his  tiptoes.  "Hi!  Hi!  Tippety  Rippety!  Hi! 
Hi!" 

It  was  Joel's  especial  yell;   and  there  he  was, 


THE   TENNIS    MATCH  27 

as  David  scrambled  up  to  see  him,  head  thrown 
back,  and  black  eyes  shining  in  the  way  they  al 
ways  did  when  he  worked  for  Mamsie  and  Polly, 
and  that  dealt  despair  to  all  opponents.  He  had 
just  made  a  brilliant  stroke,  returning  one  of 
Larry's  swiftest  balls  in  such  a  manner  that  it 
just  skimmed  over  the  net  and  passed  the  boys 
before  they  could  recover  themselves,  and  fairly 
taking  off  from  their  feet  the  St.  Andrew's  men 
who  had  been  misled  by  Joel's  previous  slow 
playing  in  the  first  set,  which  Tom  and  Larry 
had  won. 

"Who  is  he?  Gee  Whiz!  but  that's  good 
form!"  declared  Vincent  Parry,  the  St.  Andrew's 
champion,  excitedly. 

"Pepper  —  don't  you  know  Pepper?"  cried  a 
dozen  throats,  trying  to  seem  unconscious  that  it 
was  Parry,  the  champion,  who  was  asking  the 
question. 

"Oh,  is  that  Pepper?"  said  the  St.  Andrew's 
boy.  While  "Pepper  — Pepper.  Hi!  Hi!  Tip- 
pety  Rippety!  Hi!  Hi!"  rolled  out,  till  there 
wasn't  any  other  sound  to  be  heard.  And  a 
regular  tussle  of  boys  were  getting  in  the  wildest 
excitement  when  it  was  announced  that  Pepper 
and  Ricketson  had  won  the  second  set,  the  ref- 


28       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT   SCHOOL 

erees  trying  to  quiet  them  so  that  the  game  could 
proceed. 

In  the  third  set,  Joel  seemed  to  have  it  all  his 
own  way,  and  fairly  swept  Ricketson  along  with 
him.  The  excitement  was  now  so  intense  that 
the  boys  forgot  to  yell,  afraid  they  would  miss 
some  strokes. 

David  clenched  his  hands  tightly.  The  net 
and  flying  balls  spun  all  together  inextricably  be 
fore  his  eyes  as  he  strained  them  to  see  Joe's 
brilliant  returns.  This  was  the  deciding  set,  as 
the  cup  was  to  go  to  the  winners  of  two  sets  out 
of  three. 

Joel's  last  serve  was  what  finished  it;  the  ball 
flashing  by  Tom  with  such  impetus,  that  even 
the  St.  Andrew's  champion  said  he  couldn't  ever 
have  returned  it. 

Everybody  drew  a  long  breath,  and  then  the 
crowd  rushed  and  converged  to  Joel;  surrounded 
him,  fighting  for  first  place,  the  fortunate  ones  tos 
sing  him  up  to  their  shoulders  to  race  him  in  tri 
umph  around  the  yard. 

"Take  Ricket!"  screamed  Joel,  red  in  the  face. 
"Take  him!"  he  roared.  "He  beat  too,  as 
much  as  I."  So  a  second  group  seized  Fred; 
and  up  he  went  to  be  trotted  after,  the  crowd 


THE   TENNIS    MATCH  29 

swarming  alongside,  yelling,  tumbling  over  each 
other,  —  gone  perfectly  wild ;  Joe  waving  the  cup, 
thrust  into  his  hand,  which  would  be  kept  by  the 
winners  for  a  year. 

It  was  the  middle  of  the  night.  Davie,  flushed 
with  the  happiest  thoughts,  had  peacefully  settled 
to  dreams  in  which  Mamsie  and  Grandpapa,  and 
Polly  and  Jasper,  and  all  the  dear  home  people, 
were  tangled  up.  And  Phronsie  seemed  to  be 
waving  a  big  silver  cup,  and  piping  out  with  a 
glad  little  laugh,  " Oh,  I  am  so  glad!"  And  now 
and  then  the  scene  of  operations  flew  off  to  the 
little  brown  house,  that  it  appeared  impossible  to 
keep  quite  out  of  dreamland.  Some  one  gripped 
him  by  the  arm. 

"Oh,  what  is  it,  Joe?"  David  flew  up  to  a 
sitting  posture  in  the  middle  of  his  bed. 

"It  isn't  Joe.  Get  up  as  quick  as  you 
can." 

David,  with  a  dreadful  feeling  at  his  heart, 
tumbled  out  of  bed.  "Isn't  Joe!  "  he  found 
time  to  say,  with  a  glance  in  the  darkness  over 
toward  Joel's  bed. 

"Hurry  up,  don't  stop  to  talk."  The  voice 
was  Tom  Beresford's.  "Get  on  your  clothes." 


3o       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

Meantime  he  was  scuffing  around.  "  Where  in 
time  are  your  shoes?"  But  David  already  had 
those  articles,  and  was  pulling  them  on  with  hasty 
fingers.  "Oh,  tell  me,"  he  couldn't  help  crying; 
but  "Hurry  up!"  was  all  he  got  for  his  pains. 
And  at  last,  after  what  seemed  an  age  to  Tom, 
David  was  piloted  out  into  the  hall,  with  many 
adjurations  to  "go  softly,"  down  the  long  flight 
of  stairs.  Here  he  came  to  a  dead  stop.  "I 
can't  go  another  single  step,  Tom,"  he  said  firmly, 
"unless  you  tell  me  what  you  want  me  for.  And 
where  is  Joel?"  he  gasped. 

"Oh,  bother!  in  another  minute  you'd  have 
been  outside,  and  then  it  would  be  safe  to  tell 
you,"  said  Tom.  "Well,  if  you  will  have  it, 
Dave,  Joe's  finishing  up  that  business  with  Jenk, 
and  you're  the  only  one  that  can  stop  it.  Now 
don't  keel  over." 

David  clung  to  the  door,  which  Tom  had  man 
aged  to  open  softly,  and  for  a  minute  it  looked 
as  if  Beresford  would  have  his  hands  full  with 
out  in  the  least  benefiting  Joel.  But  suddenly 
he  straightened  up.  "Oh,  tell  me  where  he  is," 
he  cried,  in  a  manner  and  voice  exactly  like  Polly 
when  she  had  anything  that  must  be  done  set 
before  her.  And  clear  ahead  of  his  guide  when 


THE   TENNIS    MATCH  31 

Tom  whispered,  "Down  in  the  pine  grove," 
sped  Davie  on  the  very  wings  of  the  wind. 

" Gracious!  Joel  is  nothing  to  Dave  as  a 
sprinter,"  said  Tom  to  himself,  as  his  long  legs 
got  him  over  the  ground  in  the  rear. 

The  two  boys  hugged  the  shadow  of  the  tall 
trees  and  dashed  across  the  lawn  to  the  shrub 
bery  beyond.  Then  it  was  but  a  breathing  space, 
and  a  few  good  leaps  to  the  depths  of  the  pine 
grove.  In  the  midst  of  this  were  two  figures, 
busily  engaged  in  the  cheerful  occupation  of  fisti 
cuffing  each  other  till  the  stronger  might  win. 

"Joel!"  called  David  hoarsely,  his  breath 
nearly  spent  as  he  dashed  up. 

Joel,  at  this,  wavered,  and  turned.  Seeing 
which,  his  antagonist  dealt  him  a  thwack  that 
made  his  head  spin,  and  nearly  lost  him  his 
footing. 

"That  was  mean,  Jenk  !  "  exclaimed  Beresford, 
dashing  up  in  time  to  see  it,  "You  took  advan 
tage  when  Joe  was  off  guard,"  he  cried  hotly. 

"No  such  thing,"  roared  Jenk,  losing  his  head 
at  what  now  seemed  an  easy  victory,  "and  I'll 
settle  with  you  when  I  get  through  with  Joe,  for 
being  such  a  mean  sneak  as  to  turn  tell-tale, 
Tom." 


32       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"All  right,"  said  Tom  coolly.  "Go  it,  Joe, 
and  pay  him  up.  You've  several  scores  to  settle 
now." 

"Joel,"  gasped  Davie.  "Oh  Mamsiel"  He 
could  get  no  further. 

Joel's  hands,  out  once  more  in  good  fighting 
trim,  wavered  again,  and  sank  helplessly  down 
to  his  side. 

"Oh  dear!"   Tom  groaned  in  amazement. 

"Hoh  —  hoh!  you  see  how  easy  I  could  whip 
him,"  laughed  Jenkins,  raining  down  blows  all 
over  Joel's  figure,  who  didn't  offer  to  stir. 

"See  here  you!"  Tom  fairly  roared  it  out, 
perfectly  regardless  of  possible  detection.  "You 
beastly  coward!"  And  he  jumped  in  between 
Joel  and  his  antagonist.  "You  may  settle  with 
me  now  if  you  like." 

"Stop,  Tom."  Joel  seized  him  from  behind. 
Tom,  in  a  fury,  turned  to  see  his  face  working 
dreadfully,  while  the  brown  hands  gripped  him 
tightly.  "  I  forgot  —  Mamsie  wouldn't  —  like  — 
you  mustn't,  Tom.  If  you  do,  I'll  scream  for 
John,"  he  declared  suddenly. 

John,  the  watchman,  being  the  last  person 
whom  any  of  Dr.  Marks'  boys  desired  to  see 
when  engaged  in  a  midnight  prank,  Beresford 


THE    TENNIS    MATCH  33 

backed  away  slowly  from  Jenkins,  who  was  de 
lighted  once  more  at  the  interruption,  and  fas 
tened  his  gaze  on  Joel.  "Well,  I  never  did, 
Pepper!"  he  brought  himself  to  say. 

"Tom,"  said  David  brokenly,  and  getting  over 
to  him  to  seize  his  hand,  "  don't  you  know  our 
Mamsie  would  feel  dreadfully  to  see  Joel  doing 
any  such  thing?  Oh,  she  would,  Tom,"  as  Beres- 
ford  continued  to  stare  without  a  word. 

"Not  to  such  a  miserable  beggar."  Tom  at 
last  found  his  tongue,  and  pointed  to  Jenk. 

"Oh,  yes,  she  would.  It's  just  as  bad  in  Joel," 
said  Davie,  shaking  his  head.  Joel  turned 
suddenly,  took  two  or  three  steps,  then  flung 
himself  down  flat  on  his  face  on  the  pine 
needles. 

"Well,  get  up,"  said  Tom  crossly,  running 
over  to  him.  "John  will  maybe  get  over  here, 
we've  made  so  much  noise.  Hurry  up,  Joe,  we 
must  all  get  back." 

Joel,  thus  adjured,  .especially  as  David  got 
down  on  the  ground,  to  put  his  arms  around  the 
shaking  shoulders,  got  up  slowly.  Then  they 
turned  around  to  look  for  Jenkins.  He  was  no 
where  to  be  seen. 

"Little  coward!"    exclaimed  Tom  between  his 


34       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

teeth.     "Well,  we'll  have  to  skin  it  as  best  we 
may  back.     Here  comes  John  !  " 

They  could  see  his  lantern  moving  around 
among  the  trees;  and  dashing  off,  taking  the 
precaution  to  hug  the  shadow  of  the  trees  again, 
they  soon  made  the  big  door  to  the  dormitory. 
Tom  reached  it  first,  and  turned  the  knob.  "It's 
locked,"  he  said.  "The  mean,  beastly  coward 
has  locked  us  out." 


Ill    A   NARROW   ESCAPE 

JOEL,  in  such  an  emergency,  wiped  his  black 
eyes  and  looked  up  sharply.  David  sank 
on  the  upper  step. 

"Oh,  no,  Tom,"  cried  Joel,  crowding  in  be 
tween  Beresford  and  the  door,  "it  can't  be.  Get 
out  of  the  way;  let  me  try." 

"It  is  —  it  is,  I  tell  you,"  howled  Tom  in  what 
was  more  of  a  whine,  as  he  kept  one  eye  out  for 
John  and  his  lantern.  "The  mean  sneak  has 
got  the  best  of  us,  Joe."  He  set  his  teeth  hard 
together,  and  his  face  turned  white. 

Joe  dropped  the  doorknob,  and  whirled  off 
the  sieps. 

"Julius  Caesar!  where  are  you  going?"  began 
Tom,  as  Joel  disappeared  around  the  corner  of 
the  dormitory. 

"He's  gone  to  see  if  John  is  coming,  I  suppose," 
said  Davie  weakly. 

Tom,  preferring  to  see  for  himself,  skipped  off, 
and  disappeared  around  the  angle.  "  Oh  —  oh ! " 
35 


36       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

was  what  David  heard  next,  making  him  fly  from 
his  step  to  follow  in  haste. 

What  he  saw  was  so  much  worse  than  all  his 
fears  as  Tom  gripped  his  arm  pointing  up  over 
his  head,  that  he  screamed  right  out,  "Oh  Joe, 
come  back,  you'll  be  killed!" 

"He  can't  come  back,"  said  Tom  hoarsely. 
"He'd  much  better  go  on."  Joel,  more  than 
halfway  up  the  lightning  conductor,  was  making 
good  time  shinning  along.  He  turned  to  say, 
"I'm  all  right,  Dave,"  as  a  window  above  them 
was  thrown  up,  and  a  head  in  a  white  nightcap 
was  thrust  out. 

"It's  all  up  with  him  now;  there's  old  Fox," 
groaned  Tom,  ducking  softly  back  over  the  grass. 
"Come  on,  Dave." 

But  David,  with  clasped  hands  and  white  face, 
had  no  thought  of  deserting  Joel. 

The  person  in  the  window,  having  tht  good 
sense  to  utter  no  exclamation,  waited  till  Joel 
was  up  far  enough  for  her  to  grasp  his  arm. 
Then  she  couldn't  help  it  as  she  saw  his  face. 

"Joel  Pepper  /" 

"Yes'm,"  said  Joel,  turning  his  chubby  face 
toward  her.  "I  knew  I  could  get  up  here  ;  it's 
just  as  easy  as  anything." 


A   NARROW   ESCAPE  37 

Mrs.  Fox  set  her  other  hand  to  the  task  of 
helping  him  into  the  dimly  lighted  hall,  much  to 
Joel's  disgust,  as  he  would  much  have  preferred 
to  enter  unassisted.  Then  she  turned  her  cap- 
frills  full  on  him,  and  said  in  a  tone  of  great  dis 
pleasure,  "What  is  the  meaning  of  all  this?" 

"Why,  I  had  to  go  out,  Mrs.  Fox." 

"Why?" 

«Oh  — I  — I  — had  to." 

She  didn't  ask  him  again,  for  the  matron  was 
a  woman  of  action,  and  in  all  her  dealings  with 
boys  had  certain  methods  by  which  she  brought 
them  to  time.  So  she  only  set  her  sharp  eyes, 
that  Dr.  Marks'  pupils  always  called  "gimlets," 
full  upon  him.  "  Go  to  your  room,"  was  all  she 
said. 

"Oh  Mrs.  Fox,"  cried  Joel,  trying  dreadfully 
to  control  himself,  and  twisting  his  brown  hands 
in  the  effort,  " I  —  I  —  had  to  go.  Really  I  did." 

"  So  you  said  before.  Go  to  your  room."  Then 
a  second  thought  struck  her.  "Was  any  other 
boy  with  you?"  she  demanded  suddenly. 

Joel  gave  a  sharp  cry  of  distress  as  he  started 
down  the  hall,  revolving  in  his  mind  how  he 
would  steal  down  and  unlock  the  door  as  soon 
as  the  matron  had  taken  herself  off. 


38       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOl 

"Here,  stop  —  come  back  here!  Now  answer 
me  —  yes  or  no  —  was  any  other  boy  with  you  ?  " 
as  Joel  stood  before  her  again. 

Joel's  stubby  black  curls  dropped  so  that  she 
couldn't  see  his  face.  As  there  was  no  reply 
forthcoming,  Mrs.  Fox  took  him  by  the  arm. 
"You  needn't  go  to  your  room,  Joel,"  she  said 
sharply.  "You  may  go  to  Coventry." 

"Oh  Mrs.   Fox,"   Joel    burst  out,   "  don't  - 
don't  send  me  there." 

"A  boy  who  cannot  answer  me,  is  fit  only  for 
Coventry,"  said  Mrs.  Fox  with  great  dignity, 
despite  the  nightcap.  "Wait  here,  Joel.  I  will 
get  my  candle,  and  light  you  down."  She  stepped 
off  to  a  corner  of  the  hall,  where  she  had  set  the 
candlestick  on  a  table,  when  startled  by  the 
noise  outside.  "Now  we  will  go." 

It  was  impossible  that  all  this  confusion  should 
not  awake  some  of  the  boys  in  the  hall;  and  by 
this  time  there  was  much  turning  on  pillows,  and 
leaning  on  elbows,  and  many  scuttlings  out  of 
becj  to  listen  at  doors  opened  a  crack,  so  that 
nearly  every  one  of  the  occupants,  on  that  partic 
ular  hall  soon  knew  that  "old  Fox"  had  Joel 
Pepper  in  her  clutches,  and  that  he  was  being 
led  off  somewhere. 


A    NARROW    ESCAPE  39 

And  at  last  Joel  let  it  out  himself.  "Oh  Mrs. 
Fox  —  dear  Mrs.  Fox,  don't  make  me  go  to  Cov 
entry,"  he  roared.  He  clutched  her  wrapper,  a 
big,  flowered  affair  that  she  wore  on  such  noc 
turnal  rambles,  and  held  it  fast.  "I'll  be  just  as 
good,"  he  implored. 

"Coventry  is  the  place  for  you,  Joel  Pepper," 
said  Mrs.  Fox  grimly;  "so  we  will  start." 

Meanwhile  David,  holding  his  breath  till  he 
saw,  in  the  dim  light  that  always  streamed  out 
from  the  dormitory  hall  where  the  gas  was  left 
turned  down  at  night,  that  Joel  was  safely  drawn 
in  to  shelter,  frantically  rushed  around  to  the 
big  door,  in  the  wild  hope  that  somehow  admit 
tance  would  be  gained.  "Joe  will  come  by  and 
by,"  he  said  to  himself,  sinking  down  on  the  steps. 

"We're  done  for,"  said  Tom's  voice  off  in  the 
distance. 

"Oh  Tom,  are  you  there?"  cried  Davie, 
straining  his  eyes  to  catch  a  glimpse. 

"Hush!"  Tom  poked  his  head  out  from  a 
clump  of  shrubbery.  "  Don't  you  dare  to  breathe. 
I  tell  you,  Dave,  our  only  hope  is  in  staying 
here  till  morning." 

"Oh  dear  me!"  exclaimed  David  in  dismay. 

"Oh  dear  me!"  echoed  Tom  in  derision.     It 


40       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

was  impossible  for  him  to  stop  talking,  he  was 
so  keyed  up.  "It's  paradise,  I'm  sure,  compared 
to  being  in  old  Fox's  grip." 

This  brought  David  back  to  Joel's  plight,  and 
he  sighed  dismally,  and  leant  his  head  on  his 
hands.  How  long  he  sat  there  he  couldn't  have 
told.  The  first  thing  he  did  know,  a  big  hand 
was  laid  on  his  shoulder,  and  a  bright  glare  of 
light  fell  full  on  his  face. 

"Oh  my  soul  and  body!"  cried  John,  the 
watchman,  bending  over  him,  "if  here  ain't  one 
of  th'  boys  dead  asleep  on  the  doorsteps!" 

"Little  goose,  to  sit  there!"  groaned  Tom, 
huddling  back  into  his  bushes.  "Now  it's  all  up 
with  him.  Well,  I'll  save  my  skin,  for  I  don't 
believe  those  boys  will  tell  on  me." 

"Coventry"  was  a  small  square  room  in  the 
extension,  containing  a  bed,  a  table,  and  a  chair, 
where  the  boys  who  were  refractory  were  sent. 
It  was  considered  a  great  disgrace  to  be  its  in 
mate.  They  were  not  locked  in;  but  no  boy 
once  put  there  \vas  ever  known  to  come  out  un 
less  bidden  by  the  authorities.  And  no  one,  of 
course,  could  speak  to  them  when  they  emerged 
from  it  to  go  to  recitations,  for  their  lessons  must 
be  learned  in  the  silence  of  this  room.  Then 


A    NARROW    ESCAPE  41 

back  from  the  class-room  the  culprit  must  go  to 
this  hated  place,  to  stay  as  long  as  his  misde 
meanor  might  seem  to  deserve. 

It  was  so  much  worse  punishment  than  a  flog 
ging  could  possibly  be,  that  all  Dr.  Marks'  boys 
heard  ''Coventry"  with  a  chill  that  stopped  many 
a  prank  in  mid-air. 

But  Joel  didn't  get  into  "Coventry"  after  all, 
for  at  the  foot  of  the  stairs,  another  caridle-beam 
was  advancing;  and  back  of  it  was  the  thin, 
sharp  face  of  Mr.  Harrow,  one  of  the  under- 
teachers. 

"Oh  Mr.  Harrow,"  screamed  Joel,  breaking 
away  from  the  matron,  to  plunge  up  to  him, 
"she's  going  to  put  me  into  Coventry.  Oh, 
don't  make  me  go  there;  it  will  kill  my  Mamsie, 
and  Polly." 

"Hey?"  Mr.  Harrow  came  to  a  sudden  stop, 
and  whirled  the  candlestick  around  to  get  a 
better  view  of  things.  "What's  this,  Mrs.  Fox? 
And  Joel  Pepper,  of  all  boys!" 

"I  know  it,"  said  Mrs.  Fox,  her  candlestick 
shaking  in  an  unsteady  hand.  "Well,  you  see, 
sir,  I  was  going  upstairs  to  see  if  little  Fosdick 
had  blankets  enough;  it's  turned  cold,  and  you 
know  he's  had  a  sore  throat,  and  - 


42       FIVE    LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"Well,  come  to  the  point,  Mrs.  Fox,"  said  the 
teacher,  bringing  her  up  quickly.  Joel  clung 
desperately  to  his  hand,  shaking  violently  in 
every  limb. 

"Oh,  yes,  sir  —  well,  and  I  heard  a  noise  out 
side,  so  I  bethought  me  to  look,  and  there  was 
this  boy  climbing  up  the  lightning  conductor." 

"Up  the  lightning  conductor?"  echoed  Mr. 
Harrow. 

"Yes,  sir,"  -Mrs.  Fox's  cap-frills  trembled 
violently  as  she  nodded,  —  "Joel  Pepper  was 
climbing  up  the  lightning  conductor,  sir.  And 
I  thought  I  should  have  dropped  to  see  him, 
sir." 

The  under-teacher  turned  and  surveyed  Joel. 
"Well,  I  think,  Mrs.  Fox,"  he  said  slowly,  "if 
he's  been  over  that  lightning  conductor  to-night, 
we  won't  put  him  in  Coventry." 

"He  wouldn't  answer  when  I  asked  him  if 
any  other  boys  were  there,"  said  the  matron,  a 
dull  red  spot  coming  on  either  cheek. 

"That's  bad  —  very  bad,"  said  Mr.  Harrow. 
"Well,  I'll  take  Joel  under  my  care.  Do  you  go 
to  bed,  Mrs.  Fox." 

It  was  all  done  in  a  minute.  Somehow  Mrs. 
Fox  never  quite  realized  how  she  was  left  stand- 


A    NARROW    ESCAPE 


43 


ing  alone.  And  as  there  really  wasn't  anything 
else  for  her  to  do,  she  concluded  to  take  the 
under- teacher's  advice. 

"Now,  Joel,"  -Mr.  Harrow  looked  down  at 
his  charge, —  "you  seem  to  be  left  for  me  to 
take  care  of.  Well,  suppose  you  come  into  my 
room,  and  tell  me  something  about  this  affair." 

Joel,  with  his  heart  full  of  distress  about 
David  and  Tom,  now  that  the  immediate  cause 
of  alarm  over  his  being  put  into  "Coventry" 
was  gone,  could  scarcely  conceal  his  dismay,  as 
he  followed  Mr.  Harrow  to  his  room.  He  soon 
found  himself  on  a  chair;  and  the  under- teacher, 
setting  his  candlestick  down,  took  an  opposite 
one. 

"Do  you  mind  telling  me  all  about  this  little 
affair  of  yours,  Joe?"  said  Mr.  Harrow,  leading 
off  easily.  His  manner,  once  away  from  the 
presence  of  the  matron,  was  as  different  as  pos 
sible;  and  Joel,  who  had  never  met  him  in  just 
this  way,  stared  in  amazement. 

"You  see,  Joe,"  the  under-teacher  went  on, 
and  he  began  to  play  with  some  pencils  on  the 
table,  "it  isn't  so  very  long  ago,  it  seems  to  me, 
since  T  was  a  boy.  And  I  climbed  lightning 
conductors  too.  I  really  did,  Joel." 


44       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

Joel's  black  eyes  gathered  a  bright  gleam  in 
their  midst. 

"Yes,  and  at  night,  too,"  said  the  under- 
teacher  softly,  "though  I  shouldn't  want  you  to 
mention  it  to  the  boys.  So  now,  if  you  wouldn't 
mind,  Joel,  I  should  really  like  to  hear  all  about 
this  business  of  yours." 

But  Joel  twisted  his  hands,  only  able  to  say, 
"Oh  dear!  I  can't  tell,  Mr.  Harrow."  His  dis 
tress  was  dreadful  to  see. 

"Well,"  said  the  under-teacher  slowly,  "per 
haps  in  the  morning  you'll  feel  better  able  to 
tell.  I  won't  press  it  now.  You  must  get  to 
bed,  Joe,"  with  a  keen  look  at  his  face. 

"Oh  Mr.  Harrow  —  would  you  —  would  you 
Joel  jumped  out  of  his  seat,  and  over  to 
the  under-teacher's  chair. 

"Would  I  what?"  asked  Mr.  Harrow  in  per 
plexity,  wishing  very  much  that  "Mamsie," 
whom  he  had  seen  on  her  visits  to  the  school, 
were  there  at  that  identical  moment. 

"Would  you  —  oh,  might  I  unlock  the  —  the 
back  door?"  gasped  Joel,  his  black  eyes  very  big 
with  distress. 

"Unlock  the  back  door?"  repeated  Mr.  Har 
row.  Then  he  paused  a  moment.  "Cer- 


A    NARROW    ESCAPE  45 

tainly;  I'll  go  with  you."  He  got  out  of  his 
chair. 

"Oh,  no,  sir,"  cried  Joel  tumbling  back,  "I'll 
-  I'll  do  it  alone  if  I  may;  please,  sir." 

"Oh,  no,  Joel,  that  can't  ever  be  allowed," 
Mr.  Harrow  was  saying  decidedly,  when  steps 
were  heard  coming  down  the  hall,  and  there  was 
John,  the  watchman,  hauling  David  Pepper  along 
the  dimly  lighted  hall  to  the  extra  gleam  of  the 
under-teacher's  room. 

"I  found  this  boy  asleep  on  the  steps,"  an 
nounced  John,  coming  in  with  his  charge. 

"Why,  David  Pepper!"  exclaimed  Mr.  Har 
row  in  astonishment.  Then  he  turned  a  cold 
glance  on  Joel,  who  flew  over  to  Davie's  side. 

"Joel!"  cried  David  convulsively,  and  blink 
ing  dreadfully  as  he  came  into  the  light.  "Oh, 
I'm  so  glad  you're  safe  —  oh,  so  glad,  Joey!" 
He  hid  his  face  on  Joel's  arm,  and  sobbed. 

"You  may  go,  John,"  said  the  under-teacher 
to  that  individual,  who  kept  saying,  "I  found  that 
boy  asleep  on  the  steps,"  over  and  over,  unable 
to  stop  himself.  "And  don't  say  anything  about 
this  to  any  one.  I  will  take  care  of  the  matter." 

"All  right,  sir,"  said  John,  glad  to  be  relieved 
of  all  responsibility,  and  touching  his  cap.  "I 


46       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

found  that  boy  asleep  on  the  steps,"  he  added  as 
he  took  himself  off. 

"Now,  see  here."  Mr.  Harrow  laid  his  hand 
on  David's  shoulder,  ignoring  Joel  for  the  time, 
and  drew  him  aside.  "The  whole  of  this  busi 
ness  must  be  laid  before  me,  David.  So 
begin." 

"Oh  Dave!"  cried  Joel,  springing  up  to  him. 
"Oh,  sir  —  oh,  Mr.  Harrow,  it  was  all  my  fault, 
truly  it  was.  David  only  came  after  me.  Oh 
Mr.  Harrow,  don't  make  him  tell." 

"You  go  and  sit  down  in  that  chair,  Joel," 
said  Mr.  Harrow,  pointing  to  it.  So  Joel  went, 
and  got  on  it,  twisting  miserably. 

"Now,  then,  David." 

"You  see,"  said  David,  the  tears  still  rolling 
down  his  cheeks,  "that  —  oh  dear!  —  Joel  was 
gone,  and  — 

"How  did  you  know  Joel  was  gone?"  inter 
rupted  the  under-teacher. 

"Oh  dear!"  David  caught  his  breath.  "An 
other  boy  told  me,  sir." 

"Who?" 

David  hesitated.  "Must  I  tell,  sir?"  not 
trusting  himself  to  look  at  Joel. 

"Certainly." 


A    NARROW    ESCAPE  47 

"Tom  Beresford." 

"Ugh!"  Joel  sprang  from  his  chair.  "He 
hadn't  anything  to  do  with  it,  sir.  Tom  has  been 
awfully  good.  He  only  told  Dave." 

"Go  back  to  your  chair,  Joel,"  said  Mr.  Har 
row.  "Now,  then,  David,  go  on.  So  you  ,vent 
out  with  Beresford  to  find  Joel,  eh?" 

"Yes,  sir,"  said  David  faintly. 

"Any  other  boy?"  asked  the  under-teacher 
quickly. 

"No,  sir." 

"Well,  then,  Tom  is  waiting  out  there,  I  sup 
pose,  now."  Mr.  Harrow  got  out  of  his  chair. 

"He  didn't  have  anything  to  do  with  it,  sir," 
cried  Joel  wildly,  and  flying  out  of  his  chair 
again,  "truly  he  didn't." 

"I  understand."  Mr.  Harrow  nodded.  "I'm 
going  to  bring  him  in.  Now  it  isn't  necessary  to 
tell  you  two  boys  not  to  do  any  talking  while  I'm 
gone."  With  that  he  went  over  to  a  corner, 
took  down  a  lantern,  lighted  it,  and  passed 
out. 

When  he  came  back,  both  Joel  and  David 
knew  quite  well  by  Tom's  face,  that  the  whole 
story  was  out;  and  Joel,  who  understood  as  well 
as  any  one  that  Floyd  Jenkins  never  by  any  possi- 


48       FIVE    LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

bility  cuuld  be  a  favorite  with  instructors,  any 
more  than  with  the  boys,  unless  he  changed  his 
whole  tactics,  groaned  again  at  thought  that  he 
had  made  matters  worse  for  him. 

"Now  all  three  of  you  scatter  to  bed,"  was  all 
the  v.nder-teacher  said  as  he  came  in  with  Tom. 
"No  talking  now;  get  up  as  softly  as  you  can. 
Good  night." 


IV     OF    VARIOUS    THINGS 

AND  the  next  day,  the  story  which  flew  all 
over  the  yard,  how  that  Joel  Pepper  was 
"put  into  Coventry"  last  night,  was  overtaken 
and  set  rHit. 

"Huh!  there,  now  you  see,"  cried  Van  Whit 
ney,  coming  out  of  his  rage.  He  had  cried  so 
that  his  eyes  were  all  swollen  up,  and  he  was  a 
sight  to  behold.  Percy,  too  miserable  to  say  any 
thing,  and  wishing  he  could  ever  cry  when  he 
felt  badly,  had  slunk  out  of  sight,  to  bear  the 
trouble  as  well  as  he  might.  Now  he  came  up 
bright  and  smiling.  "Yes,  now  you  see,"  he 
cried  triumphantly. 

"Oh,  I  hope  that  mean  beggar  Jenk  will  be 
expelled."  There  appeared  to  be  but  one  voice 
about  it. 

"Well,  he  won't,"  said  Van. 

"Won't?  Why  not?"  The  boys  crowded 
around  him  on  the  playground,  all  games  being 
deserted  for  this  new  excitement.  "Why  not, 
pray  tell?" 

49 


So       FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"Of  course  he  will,"  said  one  boy  decidedly. 
"Dr.  Marks  never'll  keep  him  after  this." 

"Yes  he  will  too,"  roared  Van,  glad  he  could 
tell  the  news  first,  but  awfully  disappointed  that 
it  must  be  that  Jenkins  was  to  stay,  "for  Joel 
got  Dr.  Marks  to  promise  there  shouldn't  any 
thing  be  done  to  Jenk.  So  there  now!" 

"What,  not  after  locking  that  door!  That  was 
the  worst."  The  boys,  two  or  thre^  of  them, 
took  up  the  cry,  "  'Twas  beastly  mean." 

"Contemptible!  Just  like  Jenk!"  went  all 
over  the  playground. 

"Well,  he  isn't  to  go,"  repeated  Van  with  a 
sigh;  "and  Joel  says  he  was  as  bad,  because  he 
went  out  at  night  to  fight." 

"Why,  he  had  to;  Jenk  dared  him.  And  he 
couldn't  have  it  out  in  the  dormitory;  you  know 
he  couldn't,  Whitney,"  said  one  of  the  boys  in 
surprise. 

"Oh  dear!  I  know,"  said  Van  helplessly. 
"Well,  Joel  says  it's  no  matter  that  the  racket 
was  stolen  out  of  his  room,  and  — : 

"No  matter!"  ejaculated  the  boys,  a  whole 
crowd  of  them  swarming  around  him,  "well,  if 
that  isn't  monstrous  /" 

"Oh,  Joel's  afraid  that  Dr.  Marks  will  expel 


OF   VARIOUS    THINGS  51 

Jenk,"  Percy,  very  uncomfortable  to  have  Joel 
blamed,  made  haste  to  say.  "Don't  you  see?" 

"Well,  he  ought  to  be  turned  out,"  declared 
one  boy  decidedly.  "Never  mind,  we'll  make  it 
so  hot  for  that  Jenk,  he'll  want  to  go." 

"No,  you  mustn't,"  declared  Percy,  now  very 
much  alarmed.  "Oh,  no,  you  mustn't,  Hobbs; 
because,  if  you  do,  Joel  won't  like  it.  Oh,  he'll 
be  so  angry!  He  won't  like  it  a  bit,  I  tell  you," 
he  kept  saying. 

The  idea  of  Joel's  not  liking  it,  seemed  to  take 
all  the  fun  out  of  the  thing ;  so  Hobbs  found  him 
self  saying,  "Well,  all  right,  I  suppose  we've  got 
to  put  up  with  the  fellow  then.  But  you  know 
yourself,  Whitney,  he's  a  mean  cad." 

There  seemed  to  be  but  one  opinion  about  that. 
But  the  fact  remained  tnat  Jenkins  was  still  to 
be  one  of  them,  to  be  treated  as  well  as  they 
could  manage.  And  for  the  next  few  days,  Joel 
had  awfully  hard  work  to  be  go-between  for  all 
the  crowd,  and  the  boy  who  had  made  it  hard 
for  him. 

"You'll  have  to  help  me  out,  Tom,"  he  said 
more  than  once  in  despair. 

"Pretty  hard  lines,"  said  Tom.  Then  the 
color  flew  all  over  his  face.  "I  suppose  I  really 


52       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

ought,  for  you  know,  Pepper,  I  told  you  I  wanted 
at  first  that  you  should  lose  your  racket." 

"  Never  mind  that  now,  Tom,"  said  Joel 
brightly,  and  sticking  out  his  brown  hand. 
"You've  been  awfully  good  ever  since." 

"Had  to,"  grunted  Tom,  hanging  to  the  hand, 
"when  I  saw  how  mean  the  beggar  was." 

"And  but  for  you  I  should  never  have  found 
the  racket,  at  least  not  in  time."  Joel  shivered, 
remembering  the  close  call  he  had  had  from 
losing  the  game. 

Tom  shivered  too,  but  for  a  different  cause. 
"If  I  hadn't  told  him,  I'd  always  have  hated 
myself,"  he  thought. 

"Well,  Joe,  I  wouldn't  after  this  give  away  a 
racket.  Now  you  see  if  you  hadn't  bestowed 
your  old  one  on  that  ragamuffin  in  town,  you 
wouldn't  have  been  in  such  a  scrape."  Tom 
tried  to  turn  it  off  lightly. 

"Oh,  that'  made  no  difference,"  Joel  made 
haste  to  say,  "'cause  I  could  have  borrowed  an 
other.  But  I'd  got  used  to  my  new  one.  Be 
sides,  Grandpapa  sent  it  to  me  to  practise  with 
for  this  game,  and  I  really  couldn't  have  done 
so  well  without  it." 

"Yes,  I  know  — I  know,"  said  Tom  remorse- 


OF    VARIOUS    THINGS  53 

fully,  "and  that's  what  Jenk  knew,  too,  the  beg 
gar!" 

"Well,  it's  all  over  now,"  said  Joel  merrily, 
"so  say  no  more  about  it." 

But  it  wasn't  all  over  with  Jenkins;  and  he  re 
solved  within  himself  to  pay  Joel  Pepper  up  some 
time,  after  the  boys  had  forgotten  a  little  about 
this  last  exploit,  if  they  ever  did. 

And  that  afternoon  Joel  staid  in,  foregoing  all 
the  charms  of  a  ball  game,  to  write  Mamsie  a 
complete  account  of  the  affair,  making  light  of 
the  other  boys'  part  in  it,  and  praising  up  Tom 
Beresford  to  the  skies.  "And  oh,  Mamsie," 
Joel  wrote  over  and  over,  "Dave  didn't  have 
anything  to  do  with  it  —  truly  he  didn't.  And 
Mr.  Harrow  is  just  bully,"  he  wrote,  —  then 
scratched  it  out  although  it  mussed  the  letter  up 
dreadfully  —  "he's  fine,  he  is!  And  oh,  I  like 
Dr.  Marks,  ever  so  much,  I  do" — 'till  Mrs. 
Fisher  had  a  tolerably  good  idea  of  the  whole 
thing. 

"I'm  not  sorry,  Adoniram,"  she  said,  after  Dr. 
Fisher  had  read  the  letter  at  least  twice,  and  then 
looked  over  his  spectacles  at  her  keenly,  "that  I 
agreed  with  Mr.  King  that  it  was  best  that  the 
boys  should  go  away  to  school." 


54       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT   SCHOOL 

"Now  any  other  woman,"  exclaimed  the  little 
doctor  admiringly,  "would  have  whimpered  right 
out,  and  carried  on  dreadfully  at  the  least  sign 
of  trouble  coming  to  her  boy." 

"No,  I'm  not  a  bit  sorry,"  repeated  Mrs. 
Fisher  firmly,  "for  it's  going  to  be  the  making 
of  Joel,  to  teach  him  to  take  care  of  himself. 
And  I'd  trust  him  anywhere,"  she  added  proudly. 

"'So  you  may;  so  you  may,  my  dear,"  declared 
the  little  doctor  gaily.  "And  I  guess,  if  the  truth 
were  told,  that.  Joel's  part  in  this  whole  scrape 
hasn't  been  such  a  very  bad  one  after  all." 

Which  came  to  be  the  general  view  when  Dr. 
Marks'  letter  arrived,  and  one  from  the  under- 
instructor  followed,  setting  things  in  the  right 
light.  And  although  old  Mr.  King  was  for  go 
ing  off  directly  to  interview  the  master,  with 
several  separate  and  distinct  complaints  and  crit 
icisms,  he  was  at  last  persuaded  to  give  up  the 
trip  and  let  matters  work  their  course  under  the 
proper  guidance  at  the  school. 

"So,  Polly,  my  child,"  he  said  on  the  following 
day,  when  the  letters  were  all  in,  "I  believe  I'll 
trust  Dr.  Marks,  after  all,  to  settle  the  affair. 
He  seems  a  very  good  sort  of  a  man,  on  the  whole, 
and  I  really  suppose  he  knows  what  to  do  with 


OF   VARIOUS   THINGS  55 

a  lot  of  boys;  though  goodness  me!   how  he  can, 
passes  my  comprehension.     So  I  am  not  going." 

"Oh  Grandpapa!"  exclaimed  Polly,  the  color 
flooding  her  cheek,  and  she  seized  his  hand  in  a 
glad  little  way. 

"Yes,  I  really  see  no  necessity  for  going," 
went  on  the  old  gentleman,  much  as  if  he  were 
being  urged  out  of  his  way  to  set  forth;  "so  I 
shall  stay  at  home.  Joel  can  take  care  of  him 
self.  I'd  trust  him  anywhere,"  he  brought  up, 
using  the  same  words  that  Mother  Fisher  had 
employed. 

"Wouldn't  you,  Grandpapa!"  cried  Polly  with 
sparkling  eyes,  and  clinging  to  him. 

"Yes,  Polly,  my  child,"  said  Grandpapa  em 
phatically,  "because,  no  matter  into  what  mis 
chief  Joe  may  get,  he  always  owns  up.  Good 
ness  me!  Polly,  that  boy  can't  go  very  far  wrong, 
with  such  a  mother  as  you've  got." 

Alexia  Rhys,  running  through  the  wide  hall, 
came  upon  the  two.  "  Oh,  beg  pardon,  and  may 
we  girls  have  Polly?  "  all  in  the  same  breath. 

"Get  away  with  you,"  laughed  old  Mr.  King, 
who  had  his  own  reasons  for  liking  Alexia,  "that's 
the  way  you  always  do,  trying  to  get  Polly  Pepper 
away  when  we  are  having  a  good  talk." 


56       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"Oh  dear!"  exclaimed  Alexia,  doing  her  best 
to  curb  her  impatience,  and  pinching  her  hands 
together,  "  we  did  so  want  — " 

"I  can't  go  now,  Alexia,"  said  Polly,  still  cling 
ing  to  Mr.  King's  hand. 

Grandpapa  sent  a  keen  glance  over  into  Alexia's 
face.  "I  think  you  better  go,  Polly,"  he  said. 
"You  and  I  will  have  our  talk  later." 

"Oh  goody!"  cried  Alexia,  hopping  up  and 
down.  And  "Oh  Grandpapa!"  reproachfully 
from  Polly. 

"Yes,  Polly,  it's  best  for  you  to  go  with  the 
girls  now,"  said  old  Mr.  King,  gently  relinquish 
ing  her  hands,  "so  run  along  with  you,  child." 
And  he  went  into  the  library. 

"Come  right  along,"  cried  Alexia  gustily,  and 
pulling  Polly  down  the  hall. 

"There  now,  you  see,  you've  dragged  me  away 
from  Grandpapa,"  cried  Polly  in  a  vexed  way. 

"Well,  he  said  you  were  to  go,"  cried  Alexia, 
perfectly  delighted  at  the  result.  "  Oh,  we're  to 
have  such  fun!  You  can't  think,  Polly  Pepper." 
"Of  course  he  did,  when  you  said  the  girls 
wanted  me,"  said  Polly,  half  determined,  even 
then,  to  run  back.  "  I'd  much  rather  have  staid 
with  him,  Alexia." 


OF   VARIOUS   THINGS  57 

"Well,  you  can't,  because  he  said  you  were  to 
come ;  and  besides,  here  are  the  girls."  And  there 
they  were  on  the  back  porch,  six  or  eight  of  them 
in  a  group. 

"Oh  Polly,  Polly!  "  they  cried,  "are  you  com 
ing  __  can  you  really  go  ?  "  swarming  around  her. 
"And  do  get  your  hat  on,"  said  Clem  Forsythe 
"and  hurry  up." 

"Where  are  you  going?"   asked  Polly. 

"The  ideal  Alexia  Rhys,  you  are  a  great  one 
to  send  after  her,'  cried  Sally  Moore.  "  Not  even 
to  tell  her  where  we  are  going,  or  what  we  want 
her  for!" 

"Well,  I  got  her  here,  and  that  is  half  of  the 
battle,"  said  Alexia,  in  an  injured  way;  "and 
my  goodness  me  I  Polly  won't  hardly  speak  to 
me  now;  and  you  may  go  yourself  after  her  next 
time,  Sally  Moore." 

"There,  girls,  don't  fight,"  said  Clem  sweetly. 
"  Polly,  we  are  going  out  to  Silvia  Home's.  Mrs. 
Home  has  just  telephoned  to  see  if  we'll  corne 
out  to  supper.  Come,  hurry  up;  we  want  to 
catch  the  next  car.  She  says  she'll  send  some 
body  home  with  us." 

"Yes,  yes,  do  hurry,"  begged  the  girls,  hopping 
up  and  down  on  anxious  feet 


58       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"I  must  ask  Mamsie,"  said  Polly.  "Oh,  how 
perfectly  splendid!''  running  oft  with  a  glad  re 
membrance  of  lessons  all  ready  for  the  next  day. 
"Now  how  nice  it  is  that  Mamsie  always  made 
me  get  them  the  first  thing,"  she  reflected  as  she 
sped  along. 

Mamsie  said  "yes,"  for  she  well  knew  that 
Mrs.  Home  was  a  careful  person,  and  when  she 
promised  anything  it  was  always  well  done. 
aBut  brush  your  hair,  Polly,"  she  said,  "it  looks 
very  untidy  flying  all  over  your  head." 

So  Polly  rushed  off  to  her  own  room;  Alexia, 
who  didn't  dare  to  trust  her  out  of  her  sight,  at 
her  heels,  to  get  in  the  way,  and  hinder  dread 
fully  by  teasing  Polly  every  minute  to  "  hurry  - 
we'll  lose  the  train." 

"Where  are  you  going,  Polly?"  asked  Phronsie, 
hearing  Alexia's  voice ;  and  laying  down  her  doll, 
she  went  into  the  blue  and  white  room  that  was 
Polly's  very  own.  "Oh,  may  I  go  too?"  as 
Polly  ran  to  the  closet  to  get  out  her  second-best 
hat. 

"Oh  d?ar  me!"   began  Aiexia. 

"No,  Pet,"  said  Polly,  her  head  in  the  closet. 
"Oh  my  goodness!  where  is  that  hat?" 

"Oh  dear!"    exclaimed  Alexia,  wringing  her 


OF   VARIOUS    THINGS  59 

hands,  "we'll  be  late  and  miss  the  train.  Do 
hurry,  Polly  Pepper." 

"I'll  find  it,  Polly,"  said  Phronsie,  going  to  the 
closet  and  getting  down  on  her  knees,  to  peer 
around. 

"Oh,  it  wouldn't  be  on  the  floor,  Phronsie," 
began  Polly.  "Oh  dear  me!  where  can  it:  be?" 

"Here  it  is,"  cried  Alexia,  "behind  the  bed." 
And  running  off,  she  picked  it  up,  and  swung  it 
over  to  Polly. 

"Goodness  me!"  said  Polly  with  a  little  laugh, 
"I  remember  now,  I  tossed  it  on  the  bed,  I 
thought.  Well,  I'm  ready  now,  thank  fortune," 
pinning  on  her  hat.  "Good-bye,  Pet." 

"I  am  so  very  glad  it  is  found,  Polly,"  said 
Phronsie,  getting  up  on  tiptoe  to  pull  Polly's  hat 
straight  and  get  another  kiss. 

"Come  on,  Polly,"  called  Alexia,  flying  over 
the  stairs.  "Yes,  yes,  girls,  she's  coming!  Oh 
dear  me,  Polly,  we'll  be  late!" 


V    AT   SILVIA   HORNE'S 

"OUT  they  weren't  —not  a  bit  of  it  ~-  and  had 
-•J  ten  minutes  to  spare  as  they  came  rushing 
up  to  the  station  platform. 

"Oh,  look— look,  girls."  Polly  Pepper  pointed 
up  to  the  clock,  pushing  back  the  damp  rings  of 
hair  from  her  forehead.  "  Oh  dear  me  —  I'm  so 
hot!" 

"And  so  am  I,"  panted  the  other  girls,  dash 
ing  up.  One  of  them  sank  down  on  the  upper 
step,  and  fanned  herself  in  angry  little  puffs 
with  her  hat,  which  she  twitched  off  for  that 
purpose. 

"Just  like  you,  Alexia,"  cried  one  when  she 
could  get  her  breath,  "you're  always  scaring  us 
to  death." 

"Well,  I'm  sure  I  was  scared  myself,  Clem," 
retorted  Alexia,  propping  herself  against  the 
wall.  "Oh  dear!  I  can't  breathe;  I  guess  I'm 
going  to  die  —  whew,  whew!" 

As  Alexia  made  this  statement  quite  often  on 
60 


AT    SILVIA    HORNE'S  61 

similar  occasions,  the  girls  heard  it  with  the  air 
of  an  old  acquaintance,  and  straightened  their 
coats  and  hats,  and  pulled  themselves  into  shape 
generally. 

"Oh  my  goodness,  how  you  look,  Sally!  Your 
hat  is  all  over  your  left  eye."  Alexia  deserted 
her  wall,  and  ran  over  to  pull  it  straight. 

"You  let  me  be,"  cried  Sally  crossly,  and  twitch 
ing  away.  "If  it  hadn't  been  for  you,  my  hat 
would  have  staid  where  I  put  it.  I'll  fix  it  my 
self."  She  pulled  out  the  long  pin. 

"Oh  dear  mel  now  the  head  has  come  off," 
she  mourned. 

"Oh  my  goodness!  Your  face  looks  the  worst 
—  isn't  it  sweet!"  cried  Alexia  coolly,  who  hadn't 
heard  this  last. 

"Don't,  Alexia,"  cried  Polly,  "she's  lost  her 
pin." 

"Misery!"  exclaimed  Alexia,  starting  forward, 
"oh,  where,  where  — 

"It  isn't  the  pin,"  said  Sally,  holding  that  out, 
"but  the  head  has  flown  off."  She  jumped  off 
from  the  step  and  began  to  peer  anxiously  around 
in  the  dirt,  all  the  girls  crowding  around  and 
getting  dreadfully  in  the  way. 

"What  pin  was  it,  Sally?"  asked  Polly,  poking 


62       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

into  a   tuft   of  grass   beneath   the   steps,    -your 
blue  one?" 

"No;  it  was  my  best  one  —  oh  dear  me!" 
Sally  looked  ready  to  cry,  and  turned  away  so 
that  the  girls  couldn't  see  her  face. 

''Not  the  one  your  aunt  gave  you,  Sally!" 
exclaimed  Clem. 

"Yes— yes."  Sally  sniffed  outright  now.  "Oh 
dear!  I  put  it  in  because  —  because  —  we  were 
going  to  Silvia's  —  oh  dear  me!" 

She  gave  up  now,  and  sobbed  outright. 
"Don't  cry,  Sally,"  begged  Polly,  deserting  her 
grass-tuft,  to  run  over  to  her.  "We'll  find  it." 
Alexia  was  alternately  picking  frantically  in  all 
the  dust-heaps,  and  wringing  her  hands,  one  eye 
on  the  clock  all  the  while. 

"Oh,  no,  you   won't,"  whimpered   Sally.     "It 
flew  right  out  of  my  hand,  and  it's  gone  way  off 
-I  know  it  has —  oh  dear!"  and  she  sobbed 
worse  than  ever. 

"Perhaps  one  of  those  old  hens  will  pick  it 
UP>"  suggested  Lucy  Bennett,  pointing  across  the 
way  to  the  station  master's  garden,  where  four  or 
five  fowl  were  busily  scratching. 

"Oh —  oh!"  Sally  gave  a  little  scream  at 
that,  and  threw  herself  into  Polly  Pepper's  arms. 


AT    SILVIA    HORNK'S  63 

"My  aunt's  pin  —  and  she  told  me  — -  to  be  care 
ful,  and  she  won't  —  won't  ever  give  me  any 
thing  else,  and  now  those  old  hens  will  eat  it. 
Oh  dear  me!  what  shall  I  do?" 

"How  can  you,  Lucy,  say  such  perfectly  dread 
ful  things?"  cried  Polly.  "Don't  cry,  Sally. 
Girls,  do  keep  on  looking  for  it  as  hard  as  you 
can.  Sally,  do  stop." 

But  Sally  was  beyond  stopping.     "She  told — 
told  me  only  to  wear  it  Sundays,  and  with  my 
best  —  best  dress.     Oh,  do  give  me  your  hand 
kerchief,  Polly.     I've  left  mine  home." 

So  Polly  pulled  out  her  clean  handkerchief 
from  her  coat  pocket,  and  Sally  wiped  up  her 
face,  and  cried  all  over  it,  till  it  was  a  damp 
little  wad;  and  the  girls  poked  around,  and 
searched  frantically,  and  Alexia,  one  eye  on  the 
clock,  exclaimed,  "Oh,  girls,  it's  time  for  the 
train.  Oh  misery  me!  what  shall  we  do?" 

"And  here  it  comes!"  Lucy  Bennett  screamed. 

"Stick  on  your  hat,  Sally,  you've  the  pin  part. 
Come,  hurry  up!"  cried  the  others.  And  they  all 
huddled  around  her. 

"Oh,  I  can't  go,"  began  Sally. 

"You  must,"  said  Clem;  "we've  telephoned 
back  to  Mrs.  Home  we're  coming.  Do  stick  on 
your  hat,  Sally  Moore." 


64       FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

Alexia  was  spinning  around,  saying  over  and 
over  to  herself,  "I  won't  stay  back  —  I  won't." 
Then,  as  the  train  slowly  rounded  the  long  curve 
and  the  passengers  emerged  from  the  waiting- 
room,  she  rushed  up  to  the  knot  of  girls.  "Go 
along,  Sally  Moore,  and  I'll  stay  and  hunt  for 
your  old  pin,"  just  as  some  one  twitched  Sally's 
hat  from  her  fingers  and  clapped  it  on  her  head. 

"Oh  my  goodness  me!"  Alexia  gave  a  little 
scream,  and  nearly  fell  backward.  "Look  —  it's 
on  your  own  head!  Oh,  girls,  I  shall  die."  She 
pointed  tragically  up  to  the  hat,  then  gave  a 
sudden  nip  with  her  long  fingers,  and  brought 
out  of  a  knot  of  ribbon,  a  gilt,  twisted  affair  with 
pink  stones.  "You  had  it  all  the  time,  Sally 
Moore,"  and  she  went  into  peals  of  laughter. 

"Well,  do  stop;  everybody's  looking,"  cried  the 
rest  of  the  girls,  as  they  raced  off  to  the  train, 
now  at  a  dead  stop.  Sally,  with  her  hat  crammed 
on  her  head  at  a  worse  angle  than  ever,  only 
realized  that  she  had  the  ornament  safely  clutched 
in  her  hand. 

"Oh,  I  can't  help  it,"  exclaimed  Alexia  gustily, 
and  hurrying  off  to  get  next  to  Polly.  "Oh  dear 
me!  —  whee  —  wheel"  as  they  all  plunged  into 
the  train. 


AT    SILVIA    HORNE'S  65 

When  they  arrived  at  Edgewood,  there  was  a 
carriage  and  a  wagonette  drawn  up  by  the  little 
station,  and  out  of  the  first  jumped  Silvia,  and 
following  her,  a  tall,  thin  girl  who  seemed  to  have 
a  good  many  bracelets  and  jingling  things. 

"My  cousin,  Kathleen  Briggs.  She  just  came 
to-day,"  said  Silvia,  "while  I  was  at  school,  and 
so  mother  thought  it  would  be  nice  to  have  you 
girls  out  to  supper,  'cause  they're  only  going  to 
stay  till  to-morrow.  Oh,  it's  so  fine  that  you've 
come!  Well,  come  and  get  in.  Polly,  you're 
going  in  the  carriage  with  Kathleen  and  me. 
Come  on." 

Alexia  crowded  up  close  behind. 

"I'm  going  with  Polly  Pepper,  this  time,"  an 
nounced  Sally,  pushing  in  between;  "Alexia  al 
ways  gets  her." 

"Well,  she's  my  very  dearest  friend,"  said 
Alexia  coolly,  and  working  her  long  figure  up 
close  to  Polly,  as  Silvia  led  her  off,  "so  of  course 
I  always  must  go  with  her." 

"Well,  so  she  is  our  very  dearest  friend,  too, 
Alexia  Rhys,"  declared  Clem,  "and  we're  going 
to  have  her  sometimes,,  ourselves."  And  there 
they  were  in  a  dreadful  state,  and  Silvia's  cousin, 
the  new  girl,  to  see  it  all! 


66       FIVE    LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

She  jingled  her  bracelets,  and  picked  at  the 
long  chain  dangling  from  her  neck,  and  stared  at 
them  all. 

"Oh  my  goodness!"  exclaimed  Polly  Pepper 
with  very  red  cheeks.  "Alexia,  don't  —  don't," 
she  begged. 

"Well,  I  don't  care,"  said  Alexia  recklessly, 
"the  girls  are  always  picking  at  me  because  I 
will  keep  next  to  you,  Polly,  and  you're  my  very 
dearest  friend,  and  - 

"But  Sally  had  such  a  fright  about  her  pin," 
said  Polly  in  a  low  tone.  Alexia  was  crowded 
up  close  and  hugging  her  arm,  so  no  one  else 
heard. 

"Well,  that  old  pin  dropped  in  the  ribbon;  she 
had  it  herself  all  the  time,  oh  dear!"  Alexia 
nearly  went  off  again  at  the  remembrance. 

"She  felt  badly,  all  the  same,"  said  Polly 
slowly.  She  didn't  even  smile,  and  Alexia  could 
feel  that  the  arm  was  slipping  away  from  her. 

"Oh  dear  me!"  she  began,  then  she  dropped 
Polly  Pepper's  arm.  "Sally,  you  may  go  next," 
she  cried  suddenly,  and  she  skipped  back  into 
the  bunch  of  the  other  girls. 

Polly  sent  her  an  approving  little  nod,  and  she 
didn't  fail  to  smile  now.  Alexia  ran  over  to  the 


AT    SILVIA    HORNE'S  67 

wagonette,  and  hopped  in,  not  daring  to  trust 
herself  to  see  Sally  Moore's  satisfaction  ahead  in 
the  coveted  seat. 

The  other  girls  jumping  in,  the  wagonette  was 
soon  filled,  and  away  they  spun  for  the  two 
miles  over  to  the  Homes'  beautiful  place.  And 
before  long,  their  respects  having  been  paid  to 
Mrs.  Home,  the  whole  bevy  was  up  in  Silvia's 
pretty  pink  and  white  room  overlooking  the  lake. 

"I  think  it's  just  too  lovely  for  anything  here, 
Silvia  Home,"  exclaimed  Sally,  whose  spirits 
were  quite  recovered  now.  She  had  her  aunt's 
pin  all  safe,  and  she  had  ridden  up  next  to  Poll}-. 
"Oh  girls,  she  has  a  new  pincushion  and  cover." 
,  "Yes,  a  whole  new  set,"  said  Silvia  carelessly, 
as  the  girls  rushed  over  from  the  bed  vhere  they 
were  laying  their  things,  to  see  this  new  acquisi 
tion  to  the  beautiful  room. 

"Well,  if  I  could  have  such  perfectly  exquisite 
things,"  breathed  Alexia  as  they  all  oh-ed  and 
ah-ed  over  the  pink  ribbons  and  dainty  lace, 
"I'd  be  the  very  happiest  girl." 

Kathleen  Briggs  thrust  her  long  figure  in  among 
the  bevy.  "That  toilet  set  is  very  pretty,"  she 
said  indifferently  and  with  quite  a  young-lady 
air. 


68       FIVE    LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"Very  pretty!"  repeated  Alexia,  turning  her 
pale  eyes  upon  her  in  astonishment,  "well,  I 
should  think  it  was!  It's  too  perfectly  elegant 
for  anything!" 

"Oh  dear  me!"  Kathleen  gave  a  little  laugh. 
"It's  just  nothing  to  the  one  I  have  on  my  toilet 
table  at  home.  Besides,  I  shall  bring  home  some 
Oriental  lace,  and  have  a  new  one:  I'm  going 
around  the  world  to-morrow,  you  know." 

"Oh  my  goodness!"  exclaimed  Alexia  faintly. 
And  the  other  girls  fell  back,  and  stared  respect 
fully. 

"Yes,"  said  Kathleen,  delighted  at  the  effect 
she  had  produced.  "We  start  to-morrow,  and 
we  don't  know  how  long  we  shall  be  gone.  Per 
haps  two  years.  Papa  says  he'll  stay  if  we  want 
to;  but  mamma  and  I  may  get  tired  and  come 
home."  She  jingled  her  bracelets  worse  than 
ever. 

"They've  come  to  bid  us  good-bye,  you  see," 
said  Silvia,  to  break  the  uncomfortable  silence. 

"Oh  yes,"  said  Polly  Pepper. 

"Well,  if  you've  got  your  things  off,  let's  go 
out  of  doors,"  proposed  Silvia  suddenly. 

"Yes,  do  let's."  The  girls  drew  a  long  breath 
as  they  raced  off. 


AT    SILVIA    HORNE'S  69 

"I  think  that  Kathleen  Briggs  is  too  perfectly 
horrid  for  anything"  —  Alexia  got  up  close  to 
Polly  as  they  flew  down  the  stairs  —  "with  her 
going  round  the  world,  and  her  sniffing  at  Sil 
via's  toilet  set." 

"Hush  —  hush!"  whispered  Polly,  "she'll  hear 
you." 

"Well,  I  don't  care;  and  she's  going  round  the 
world  to-morrow,  so  what  does  it  signify?"  said 
Alexia.  "Oh,  don't  go  so  fast,  Polly.  You  most 
made  me  tumble  on  my  nose." 

"Well,  you  mustn't  come  with  me,  then,  if  you 
don't  keep  up,"  said  Polly,  with  a  merry  little 
laugh,  and  hurrying  on. 

"I'm  going  to  keep  up,"  cried  Alexia,  dashing 
after,  "but  you  go  so  fast,"  she  grumbled. 

"We're  going  to  have  tea  out  on  the  lawn," 
announced  Silvia  in  satisfaction,  as  the  bevy 
rushed  out  on  the  broad  west  piazza. 

The  maids  were  already  busily  setting  three 
little  tables,  that  were  growing  quite  pretty  under 
their  hands. 

"There  will  be  four  at  each  table,"  said  Silvia. 
"Polly's  going  to  sit  with  Kathleen  and  me,  and 
one  other  girl  —  I  don't  know  which  one  yet," 
she  said  slowly. 


yo       FIVE   LITTLE  PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"Oh,  choose  me."  Alexia  worked  her  way 
along  eagerly  to  the  front.  "I'm  her  dearest 
friend  —  Polly's,  I  mean.  So  you  ought  to 
choose  me." 

"Well,  I  sha'n't,"  declared  Silvia.  "You 
crowded  me  awfully  at  Lucy  Bennett's  party, 
and  kept  close  to  Polly  Pepper  all  the  time." 

"Well,  that's  because  you  would  keep  Polly 
yourself.  You  crowded  and  pushed  horribly 
yourself,  you  know  you  did."  Her  long  face  was 
quite  red  now. 

"Well,  I  had  to,"  declared  Silvia  coolly.  "At 
any  rate,  you  sha'n't  have  Polly  I --day,  for  I've 
quite  decided.  Clem,  you  shall  have  the  other 
seat  at  my  table." 

Clem  hopped  up  and  down  and  beat  her  hands 
together  in  glee.  "There,  Alexia  Rhys!"  she 
cried  in  triumph.  "Who's  got  Polly  Pepper 
now,  I'd  like  to  know!" 

Alexia,  much  discomfited,  fell  back.  "WTell,  I 
think  that's  a  great  way  to  give  a  party,"  she 
said,  "to  get  up  a  fight  the  first  thing." 

But  Silvia  and  Kathleen  had  got  Polly  Pepper 
one  on  each  side,  and  were  now  racing  down  to 
the  lake.  "We're  going  to  have  a  sail,"  called 
Silvia  over  her  shoulder,  so  they  all  followed, 


AT    SILVIA   HORNE'S  71 

Alexia  among  the  rest,  with  no  time  for  anything 
else.  There  was  the  steam  launch  waiting  for 
them. 

"Girls  —  girls!"  Mrs.  Home  called  to  them 
from  the  library,  "wait  a  moment.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Briggs  are  going  too." 

"Oh  bother!"  began  Silvia.  Then  the  color 
flew  into  her  face,  for  Kathleen  heard. 

"I  shall  tell  my  mother  what  you  said,"  she 
declared. 

"Dear  me!  no,  you  mustn't,"  begged  Silvia  in 
alarm. 

"Yes,  I  shall  too."  Kathleen's  bracelets 
jingled  worse  than  ever  as  she  shook  them  out. 

"Well,  I  call  that  real  hateful,"  broke  out 
Silvia,  a  red  spot  on  either  cheek,  "you  know  I 
didn't  mean  it." 

"Well,  you  said  it.  And  if  you  think  it's  a 
bother  to  take  my  mother  and  father  out  on 
your  old  launch,  I  sha'n't  stop  here  and  bring 
you  anything  when  I  come  home  from  around 
the  world." 

Silvia  trembled.  She  very  much  wanted  some 
thing  from  around  the  world.  So  she  put  her 
arm  about  Kathleen.  "Oh,  make  up  now,"  she 
said.  "They're  coming,"  as  Mr.  and  Mrs. 


72       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

Briggs  advanced  down  the  path.     "Promise  you 
won't  tell,"  she  begged. 

"Yes,  do,"  said  Polly  Pepper  imploringly. 
So  Kathleen  promised,  and  everything  became 
quite  serene,  just  in  time  for  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Briggs 
to  have  the  girls  presented  to  them.  And  then 
they  all  jumped  into  the  steam  launch,  and  the 
men  sent  her  into  the  lake,  and  everything  was 
as  merry  as  could  be  under  the  circumstances. 

"I  haven't  got  to  go  to  school  to-morrow," 
announced  Silvia  when  they  were  well  off.  "Isn't 
that,  too  fine  for  anything,  girls?" 

"Dear  me!  I  should  say  so,"  cried  Alexia 
enviously.  "How  I  wish  I  could  ever  stay  home! 
But  aunt  is  so  very  dreadful,  she  makes  me  go 
every  single  day." 

"Well,  I'm  going  to  stay  home  to  bid  Kathleen 
good-bye,  you  know,"  said  Silvia. 

"You  see  we  are  going  around  the  world," 
announced  Mrs.  Briggs.  She  was  just  like 
Kathleen  as  far  as  mother  and  daughter  could 
be,  and  she  had  more  jingling  things  on,  besides 
a  long  lace  scarf  that  was  catching  in  everything; 
and  she  carried  a  white,  fluffy  parasol  in  her 
hand.  :'And  we've  come  to  bid  good-bye  to 
our  relatives  before  we  start:  Kathleen,  you 


AT    SILVIA   HORNE'S  73 

shouldn't  have  come  out  on  the  water  without 
your  hat,"  for  the  first  time  noticing  her  daugh 
ter's  bare  head. 

"None  of  the  girls  have  hats  on,"  said  Katn- 
leen,  shaking  her  long  light  braids. 

"Well,  I  don't  see  how  their  mothers  can  c.1- 
low  it,"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Briggs,  glancing  around 
on  the  group,  "but  I  sha'n't  let  you,  Kathleen. 
Dear  me!  you  will  ruin  your  skin.  Now  you 
must  come  under  my  parasol."  She  moved  up 
on  the  seat.  "Here,  come  over  here." 

"Oh,  I'm  not  going  to,"  cried  Kathleen  with  a 
grimace.  "I  can't  see  anything  under  that  old 
thing.  Besides,  I'm  going  to  stay  with  the  girls." 

"Yes,  you  must  come  under  my  parasol."  A 
frown  of  real  anxiety  settled  on  her  mother's  face 
"You'll  thank  me  by  and  by  for  saving  your 
complexion  for  you,  Kathleen;  so  come  over." 

"No,"  said  Kathleen,  hanging  back,  and  hold 
ing  to  Silvia's  arm. 

"There's  your  veil,  you  know."  Mr.  Briggs 
hadn't  spoken  before,  but  now  he  edged  up  to 
his  wife.  "It's  in  my  pocket." 

"So  it  is,"  cried  his  wife  joyfully,  as  Mr. 
Briggs  pulled  out  a  long  green  tissue  veil.  "I 
am  so  glad  I  had  you  bring  it.  Now,  Kathleen, 


74       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

tie  this  all  over  your  head;  your  father  will  bring 
it  over  to  you.  And  next  time,  do  obey  me,  and 
wear  your  hat  as  I've  always  told  you." 

So  Kathleen,  not  daring  to  hold  back  from 
this  command,  but  grumbling  at  every  bit  of  the 
process,  tied  on  the  veil,  and  then  sat  up  very 
cross  and  stiff  through  the  rest  of  the  sail. 

"I  should  rather  never  go  around  the  world, 
if  I'd  got  to  be  tied  up  like  an  old  green  mummy 
every  step,"  Alexia  managed  to  whisper  in  Polly's 
ear  as  they  hopped  out  of  the  launch.  And  she 
was  very  sweet  to  Kathleen  after  that,  pitying 
her  dreadfully. 


VI    THE   ACCIDENT 

OH  dear  me!"  exclaimed  Clem.  They 
were  all  on  the  cars  —  the  early  train  - 
going  home;  the  governess,  a  middle-aged  per 
son  who  looked  after  the  younger  Home  children 
and  who  was  going  in  to  her  sister's  to  pass  the 
night,  taking  care  of  the  party.  "Now  I've  got 
to  sit  up  till  all  hours  when  I  get  home,  to  get 
my  lessons." 

Polly  Pepper  gave  a  comfortable  little  wriggle 
under  her  coat.  "Isn't  it  nice  Mamsie  makes 
me  get  my  lessons  the  first  thing,  before  I  play!" 
she  said  to  herself  for  about  the  fiftieth  time. 

"So  have  I,"  cried  Lucy  Bennett,  echoing 
Clem's  words 

"Well,  I  can't,"  cried  Alexia  with  a  flounce, 
"because  my  aunt  won't  let  me  sit  up  after  nine 
o'clock;  that  is,  to  study.  So  I  have  to  get  up 
early  in  the  morning.  Oh  dear!"  with  a  grimace 
at  the  thought. 

"So   do  I,"   said  Amy   Garrett.     "Dear  me! 
75 


76       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

and  I'm  just  as  sleepy  in  the  morning  as  I  can 
be." 

Alexia  yawned  at  the  very  memory  of  it. 
"Well,  don't  let's  talk  of  it,"  she  begged. 
"Seems  as  if  Miss  Salisbury's  eyes  were  all  over 
me  now." 

"I  have  Miss  Anstice  to-morrow,"  said  Amy, 
"and  it's  the  day  for  her  black  silk  gown." 

"Horrors!"  exclaimed  Alexia;  and,  "How  do 
you  know  she'll  wear  the  black  silk  gown  to 
morrow,  Amy?"  from  the  other  girls. 

"Because  she  said  Professor  Mills  from  the 
Institute  is  to  be  there  to-morrow,"  said  Amy. 
"  He  gives  the  art  lecture  to  our  class.  And  you 
know  the  black  silk  gown  will  surely  go  on." 

"There's  no  help  for  you,  you  poor  child," 
cried  Alexia,  exulting  that  she  never  would  be 
gathered  into  Miss  Anstice's  clas  \  and  that  she 
just  hated  art  and  all  that  sort  of  thing,  despite 
the  efforts  of  Miss  Salisbury's  younger  sister  to 
get  her  interested.  "Yes,  that  black  silk  gown 
will  surely  be  there.  Look  out  now,  Amy;  all 
you  girls  will  catch  it." 

"Oh,  I  know  it,"  said  Amy  with  a  sigh.  "How 
I  do  wish  I  never' d  got  into  that  class!" 

"Well,  you  know  I  told  you,"  said  Alexia  pro- 


THE    ACCIDENT  77 

vokingly;  "you'd  much  better  have  taken  my 
advice  and  kept  out  of  her  clutches." 

"I  wish  I  had,"  mourned  Amy  again. 

"How  Miss  Anstice  can  be  so  horrid  —  she 
isn't  a  bit  like  Miss  Salisbury,"  said  Alexia.  "I 
don't  see—" 

"She  isn't  horrid,"  began  Polly. 

"Oh  Polly!" 

"Well,  not  always,"  said  Polly. 

"'Well,  she  is  anyway  when  she  has  company, 
and  gets  on  that  black  silk  gown;  just  as  stiff  and 
cross  and  perky  and  horrid  as  can  be." 

"She  wants  you  all  to  show  off  good,"  said 
Alexia,  "Well,  I'm  glad  enough  I'm  not  in  any 
of  her  old  classes.  I  just  dote  on  Miss  Salis 
bury." 

"Oh  Alexiaj  you  worry  the  life  out  of  her  al 
most,"  said  Sally. 

"Can't  help  it  if  I  do,"  said  Alexia  sweetly. 
"I'm  very  fond  of  her.  And  as  for  Mademoi 
selle,  she's  a  dear.  Oh,  I  love  Mademoiselle, 
too." 

"Well,  she  doesn't  love  you,"  cried  Clem  vi 
ciously.  "Dear  me!  fancy  one  of  the  teachers 
being  fond  of  Alexia!  " 

"Oh,  you  needn't  laugh,"  said  Alexia  compos- 


78       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

edly  as  the  girls  giggled;  "every  single  one  of 
those  teachers  would  feel  dreadfully  if  I  left  that 
school.  They  would  really,  and  cry  their  eyes 
out." 

"And  tear  their  hair,  I  suppose,"  said  Clem 
scornfully. 

"Yes,  and  tear  their  —  why,  what  in  this  world 
are  we  stopping  for?"  cried  Alexia  in  one  breath. 

So  everybody  else  wondered,  as  the  train  grad 
ually  slackened  speed  and  came  to  a  standstill. 
Everybody  who  was  going  in  to  town  to  the  the 
atre  or  opera,  began  to  look  impatient  at  once. 

"Oh  dear!"  cried  the  girls  who  were  going  to 
sit  up  to  study,  "now  isn't  this  just  as  hateful  as 
it  can  be?" 

"I  don't  care,"  said  Alexia,  settling  comfort 
ably  back,  "  because  I  can't  study  much  anyway, 
so  I'd  just  as  soon  sit  on  this  old  train  an  hour." 

"Oh  Alexia!"  exclaimed  Polly  in  dismay,  with 
her  heart  full  at  the  thought  of  Mamsie's  dis 
tress,  and  that  of  dear  Grandpapa  and  Jasper. 
Phronsie  would  be  abed  anyway  by  the  time  the 
early  train  was  in,  so  she  couldn't  worry.  But 
all  the  others  —  "Oh  dear  me!"  she  gasped. 

"Don't  look  so,  Polly,"  said  Alexia,  "  we'll  start 
pretty  soon,  I  guess." 


THE   ACCIDENT  79 

The  governess,  Miss  Baker,  came  over  from 
the  opposite  seat  to  stand  in  the  aisle.  "  I  think 
we'll  start  soon,"  she  said.  But  her  eyes  looked 
worried. 

"What  is  it  —  oh,  Miss  Baker,  what  is  the 
reason  we're  stopping  ?  "  cried  two  or  three  of 
the  girls. 

"  I  don't  know,"  said  the  governess. 

A  man  coming  in  from  outside,  where  a  lot  of 
gentlemen  were  pouring  out  of  the  cars  to  investi 
gate,  furnished  the  information. 

"  Driving  wheel  broken,"  he  said,  being  spar 
ing  of  words. 

"  Oh,  can't  we  go  out  to  see  ? "  cried  Alexia, 
hopping  out  of  her  seat.  "  Come  on,"  and  she 
was  prancing  down  the  aisle. 

"No,  indeed,"  said  Miss  Baker  in  displeasure, 
"and  do  you  come  directly  back,"  she  com 
manded. 

"  Oh  dear  me ! "  grumbled  Alexia  to  Sally,  who 
had  tumbled  out  after  her,  "she's  worse  than 
Miss  Anstice  —  stiff,  precise  old  thing !  "  She 
came  slowly  back. 

"  That  a  young  lady  under  my  care,"  said  Miss 
Baker,  lifting  her  black  gloves  in  amazement, 
"  should  so  far  forget  herself  as  to  want  to  run 


So       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

out  on  that  track  with  a  lot  of  men!  I  am  as 
tonished." 

"There's  a  girl  out  there,"  said  Aiexia,  sinking 
into  her  seat  crossly,  and  peering  over  Polly 
Pepper's  head. 

"And  there's  another,"  proclaimed  Sally  tri 
umphantly. 

"Well,  if  they've  forgotten  themselves  so  far  as 
to  go  out  there  under  such  circumstances,  I  shall 
not  let  any  young  lady  in  my  care  do  it,"  said 
Miss  Baker  emphatically. 

So,  swallowing  their  disappointment  at  not  be 
ing  allowed  to  see  all  that  presented  itself,  the 
girls  settled  back  and  made  themselves  as  com 
fortable  as  possible.  Meantime  almost  every 
body  else  poured  out  of  their  car.  But  it  seemed 
to  Polly  Pepper  as  if  she  never  could  keep  still  in 
all  this  world.  And  she  clasped  her  hands  tightly 
together  and  hoped  nobody  would  speak  to  her 
just  yet. 

"Polly,"  —  Alexia  gave  a  little  push,  as  she 
leaned  over,  —  "  isn't  it  perfectly  dreadful  to  be 
mewed  up  here  in  this  way?  Say,  Polly,  do 
talk." 

"Go  right  away,  Alexia."  Polly  gave  a  little 
flounce,  and  sat  quite  straight. 


THE    ACCIDENT  81 

"Oh  dear  me!"  exclaimed  Alexia  in  astonish 
ment,  and  falling  back. 

"And  I  wish  you  would  let  me  alone,"  cried 
Polly,  quite  aghast  at  herself,  but  unable  to  stop. 

"Oh  dear  me!"  Alexia  kept  saying  quite 
faintly,  and  rolling  her  eyes. 

"Well,  I'm  glad  Polly  has  made  you  behave 
for  once,"  said  Clem,  who  never  could  forgive 
Alexia  for  getting  Polly  cp  much  to  herself. 

Alexia  stopped  saying,  "  Oh  dear  me!"  and  sat 
quite  still.  Just  then  Polly  turned  and  saw  her 
face. 

"Oh  Alexia!"  she  cried,  flying  at  her,  when 
an  awful  bump,  and  then  another  much  worse, 
and  then  a  grinding  noise,  perfectly  terrible,  — 
and  everybody  who  was  left  in  the  car,  went 
tumbling  out  of  their  seats. 

"Oh,  we're  run  into!"  screamed  half  a  dozen 
of  the  girls.  Miss  Baker,  who  had  been  standing 
in  the  aisle,  was  down  in  a  heap  on  the  floor. 

"Oh,  oh!"  Polly  had  her  arms  around  Alexia 
and  was  hugging  her  tightly.  "Are  you  hurt?" 
as  they  wriggled  out  of  the  bunch  of  girls  into 
which  they  had  been  precipitated,  up  to  their  feet. 

"N — no."  Alexia  tried  to  say.  Instead,  she 
wobbled  over,  and  laid  her  head  on  Polly's  arm. 


82       FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

" Girls  —  girls  —  Miss  Baker!"  called  Polly,  not 
seeing  that  lady,  in  the  confusion  of  the  other 
passengers,  staggering  along  the  aisle,  her  bonnet 
knocked  over  her  eyes,  and  a  girl  on  either  hand 
to  help  her  along.  "Clem  —  oh,  somebody  help 
me!  Alexia  is  hurt."  But  nobody  heard  in  the 
general  tumult. 

"Oh  dear!  Alexia,  do  open  your  eyes,"  begged 
Polly,  quite  gone  now  with  distress.  "And  to 
think  I  was  so  cross  to  her!"  And  she  turned 
quite  white. 

"Dear,  dear  Alexia,"  she  cried;  and  because 
there  was  nothing  else  to  do,  she  leaned  over  and 
dropped  a  kiss  on  Alexia's  long  face,  and  two 
tears  dropped  down  as  well. 

Alexia  opened  her  eyes.  "That's  very  nice, 
Polly,"  she  said,  "do  so  some  more." 

"Aren't  you  ashamed!"  cried  Polly,  the  rosy 
color  coming  back  to  her  cheek.  And  then,  re 
membering,  she  hugged  Alexia  tightly.  "Oh, 
I'm  so  glad  you're  not  hurt,  Alexia,  so  very 
glad!"  she  cried  gratefully. 

"Ow!"    exclaimed  Alexia,  shrinking  back. 

"Oh,  now  you  are  hurt,"  cried  Polly.  "Oh 
Alexia!"  And  she  turned  very  white  again. 
"Tell  me  where  it  is."  And  just  then  some  of 


THE   ACCIDENT  83 

the  girls  rushed  up  with  the  news,  corroborated 
by  the  other  passengers,  that  the  down  express 
had  run  into  them,  —  been  signalled,  but  couldn't 
stop  in  time,  etc.,  etc.,  —  till  Polly  thought  she 
should  go  wild  before  the  babel  could  be  stopped. 
"Don't  crowd  around  so,"  she  cried  hoarsely. 
"Alexia  is  hurt." 

"Alexia?"  The  noise,  as  far  as  Miss  Salis 
bury's  girls  were  concerned,  stopped  at  once;  and 
at  last  the  other  passengers  were  made  to  under 
stand  how  it  was.  And  Alexia,  quite  faint  now, 
but  having  sense  enough  to  hang  to  Polly  Pep 
per's  hand,  was  laid  across  an  improvised  bed 
made  of  two  seats,  and  a  doctor  who  happened 
to  be  on  the  train,  one  of  the  party  going  in  to 
the  theatre,  came  up,  and  looked  her  over  pro 
fessionally. 

"It's  my  arm,"  said  Alexia,  opening  her  eyes 
again;  "it  was  doubled  up  someway  under  me. 
Oh  dear  me!  I'm  so  silly  to  faint/' 

"You're  not  silly  at  all,"  cried  Polly  warmly, 
and  holding  her  well  hand,  while  her  eyes  searched 
the  doctor's  face  anxiously.  "Oh,  is  it  broken?" 
they  asked,  as  plainly  as  possible. 

"Not  a  bit  of  it,"  said  the  doctor  cheerfully, 
feeling  it  all  over  again  to  make  quite  sure,  while 


84       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

Alexia  set  her  teeth  together,  trying  not  to  show 
how  very  much  it  hurt.  "It's  badly  strained, — 
the  ligaments  are;  — but  fortunately  no  bones 
are  broken." 

"  Oh  dear ! "  groaned  Alexia.  "  Now  why  can't 
it  be  broken?" 

"Oh  Alexia!"  cried  Polly.  And  now  the  tears 
that  had  been  kept  back,  were  rolling  down  her 
cheeks.  "I'm  so  happy,  I  can't  help  it,"  she 
said. 

"And  the  very  idea,  Alexia  Rhys,"  exclaimed 
Clem,  "to  wish  your  arm  had  been  broken!"  and 
she  gave  a  little  shiver. 

"It  hurts  just  as  much,"  said  Alexia,  trying  to 
sit  up  straight,  and  making  an  awful  face,  "so 
it  might  as  well  be.  And  I've  never  been  in  a 
railroad  accident.  But  a  sprained  arm  isn't  any 
thing  to  show;  any  baby  can  have  that — oh 
dear  me!" 

"Well,  you  better  lie  still,"  counselled  Miss 
Baker  tartly.  "Dear  me!  I  little  thought  when 
I  took  charge  of  you  young  ladies  that  any  such 
thing  would  occur." 

"She  acts  as  if  she  thought  we  did  it  on  pur 
pose,"  said  Alexia,  turning  her  face  over  to  hide 
it  on  Polly's  arm  again,  and  wishing  her  own 


THE   ACCIDENT  85 

needn't  ache  so  dreadfully.  "Oh  dear!  such  a 
time  as  we've  had,  Polly  Pepper,  with  those  dread 
ful  Briggses,  —  I  mean  Mrs.  Briggs,  —  and  now 
to  be  all  banged  up,  and  this  cross  old  thing  to 
see  us  home!  And  now  I  never'll  be  able  to  get 
through  the  term,  'cause  I'll  have  to  stay  at  home 
with  this  old  arm,  and  aunt  will  scold."  She 
was  quite  out  of  breath  with  all  her  woes. 

"Oh,  yes,  you  will,"  cried  Polly  reassuringly, 
"I'll  run  over  every  day,  and  study  with  you, 
Alexia.  And  you'll  soon  be  all  well  again.  Don't 
try  to  talk  now,  dear,"  and  she  patted  the  poor 
cheeks,  and  smoothed  her  hair.  All  the  while 
she  was  trying  to  keep  down  the  worry  over  the 
home-circle  who  would  be  thrown  into  the  great 
est  distress,  she  knew,  if  news  of  the  accident 
should  reach  their  ears. 

"Can't  somebody  telephone  them?"  she  cried; 
"Oh,  Miss  Baker"  — the  doctor  had  rushed  off 
to  other  possible  sufferers-  "and  tell  them  no 
one  is  hurt;  —  I  mean  seriously?" 

"There  is,"  said  the  governess,  quite  calmly; 
"a  man  has  been  killed." 

"Oh  dear!" 

"A  brakeman,"  Miss  Baker  hastened  to  add. 
"  Don't  be  frightened.  None  of  the  passengers." 


86       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"Now  I  know  he  was  brave,  and  trying  to  do 
something  to  save  us,"  cried  Polly,  with  kindling 
eyes. 

"Yes,"  said  a  passenger,  coming  up  to  their 
group,  "he  was  running  back  with  a  lantern  to 
signal  the  train,  and  he  slipped  and  fell,  and  the 
express  went  over  him.  But  it  stopped  just  in 
time  for  us." 

"Oh  the  poor,  poor  man!"  Polly  was  quite 
gone  by  this  time,  and  Alexia  forgot  her  pain  in 
trying  to  comfort  her. 

"But  suppose  he  had  children,"  cried  Polly, 
"just  suppose  it,  Alexia." 

"I  don't  want  to  suppose  it,"  said  Alexia,  wrig 
gling.  "Ugh!  you  do  say  such  uncomfortable 
things,  Polly  Pepper." 

"I  know  it."  Polly  swallowed  hard,  and  held 
Alexia's  hand  tighter  than  ever.  "Well,  I  won't 
talk  of  it  any  more." 

The  governess,  who  had  moved  away  a  bit, 
now  came  back  with  vexation  plainly  written  all 
over  her  face.  "I  must  go  and  see  if  there  isn't 
some  way  to  get  a  message  to  Grandpapa  King, 
Alexia,"  said  Polly.  "I'll  be  back  as  soon  as  I 
can."  She  dropped  a  kiss  on  the  nearest  cheek. 

"Don't  be  gone  long,"  begged  Alexia. 


THE   ACCIDENT  87 

"I  will  go  with  you,"  said  the  governess,  step 
ping  off  after  her. 

"  Very  well,"  said  Polly,  going  swiftly  down  the 
aisle,  to  see  below  the  car  steps  a  crowd  of  pas 
sengers  all  in  a  tumult,  and  vociferating  angrily. 
In  the  midst  of  them,  Polly  saw  the  face  of  the 
doctor  who  had  just  fixed  Alexia's  arm. 

"Oh  sir,"  she  began. 

He  looked  up,  and  caught  sight  of  the  brown 
eyes.  "  Is  the  little  girl  worse  ?"  And  he  sprang 
over  toward  her. 

Polly,  not  stopping  to  think  how  furious  Alexia 
would  be,  who  was  quite  the  tallest  of  their  set, 
to  be  designated  as  a  little  girl,  made  haste  to 
say,  "Oh  no,  sir;  but  oh,  could  you  tell  me  how 
to  let  my  grandpapa  and  my  mother  know  we  are 
safe?  Could  you,  sir?"  Poor  Polly,  who  had 
held  up  so  bravely,  was  clasping  her  hands  tightly 
together,  and  the  brown  eyes  were  full  of  tears. 

"Well,  you  see,"  began  the  doctor,  hating  to 
disappoint  her,  "it's  a  difficult  matter  to  get  in 
communication  with  them  at  once.  We  are  only 
five  miles  out,  but  - 

"Five  miles?"  echoed  Polly.  "Oh  then,  some 
one  can  go  to  the  nearest  station,  and  telephone, 
can't  they,  sir?" 


88       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"To  be  sure;  and  that's  been  done.  But  your 
family,  little  girl  —  how  can  we  reach  them  ?  " 

"Oh,  I  can  run,"  cried  Polly  happily,  "to  the 
station  myself,  sir,"  and  she  began  to  clamber 
down  the  car  steps. 

"Come  back,"  commanded  the  governess,  lift 
ing  her  hands  in  horror.  "I  never  heard  of 
such  a  thing.  The  very  idea!  What  would  your 
grandfather,  Mr.  King,  say  to  such  a  thing,  Polly 
Pepper?" 

"Mr.  who?"  cried  the  doctor.  "Stay,  little 
girl,"  seizing  her  arm.  "Mr.  who?"  he  de 
manded,  looking  up  to  the  governess  on  the  car 
steps. 

"Mr.  Horatio  King,"  she  replied  with  asperity, 
"and  you'd  better  be  occupied  with  something 
else,  let  me  tell  you,  sir,  instead  of  encouraging 
his  granddaughter  to  run  off  on  such  a  wild- 
goose  errand  as  this." 

"I  certainly  shall  take  pleasure  in  performing 
the  wild-goose  errand  myself,"  he  said.  "Now 
Polly,  I'll  send  the  message;  don't  you  worry," 
and  he  sped  off  down  the  track. 


VII    THE   SALISBURY   GIRLS 

AND    then    somebody    rushed    in,    saying, 
"We've    another   locomotive;   now  we're 
going!"     And  everybody  else  who  was  outside 
hurried  into  the  cars;  the  new  propelling  power 
was  attached  to  the  other  end  of  the  train,  and 
after  a  deal  of  switching,  there  they  were  at  last 
—  off  on  the  way  home ! 

Polly  gave  a  long  breath  of  relief,  and  clasped 
Alexia's  hand  closely.  "Oh,  by  this  time  they 
know  at  home  it's  all  right,"  she  cried. 

The  doctor  came  smilingly  down  the  aisle. 
"Well,"  he  nodded  to  Polly.  "Yes,  it's  all 
right,"  he  said.  "I  must  really  call  you  Polly 
Pepper  now,  for  I  know  your  grandfather,  and 
Dr.  Fisher  —  well  there!  indeed  I  know  him." 

"Do  you?"  cried  Polly  with  blooming  cheeks, 
well  pleased  to  find  a  friend  at  such  a  time. 

"Yes,  indeed.  I'm  fortunate  enough  to  meet 
him  in  hospital  work.  Now  then,  how  is  our 
little  friend  here  ?  "  He  leaned  over,  and  touched 
Alexia's  arm  lightly. 

89 


90       FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT   SCHOOL 

"Oh,  I'm  all  right,"  she  said. 

"That's  good,"  in  a  gratified  tone.  "Now 
keep  plucky,  and  you'll  get  out  of  this  finely." 
Then  he  sat  down  on  the  arm  of  the  seat,  and 
told  such  a  funny  story  that  no  one  supposed  it 
could  be  the  home  station  when  the  train  came 
to  a  standstill,  and  he  was  helping  Alexia  out. 

"There  now  —  drop  Polly's  hand,  if  you 
please,"  the  doctor  was  saying;  "I'll  assist  you." 

"But  I  don't  want  to,"  said  Alexia,  hanging  to 
it  for  dear  life.  "I  want  Polly." 

"I  presume  so,"  laughed  the  doctor,  "but  I 
think  it's  best  for  me  to  help  you."  Miss  Baker 
and  all  the  girls  crowded  up  in  a  bunch.  "Easy 
there,"  he  said.  "Don't  hurry  sc;  there's  plenty 
of  time."  And  he  got  between  them  and  Alexia's 
lame  arm. 

And  there,  down  by  the  car  steps  —  Polly 
could  see  him  as  he  waited  for  the  stream  of 
passengers  to  get  out  —  was  Jasper,  his  eyes 
eagerly  searching  every  face,  with  an  impatience 
scarcely  to  be  controlled.  And  back  of  him  were 
Dr.  Fisher's  big  glasses,  shining  as  the  little  doc 
tor  pranced  back  and  forth,  unable  to  keep  still. 

" There  they  are  —  there  they  are!"  Polly  ex 
claimed.  "Oh,  if  we  could  hurry  and  let  them 


THE    SALISBURY    GIRLS  91 

know  we're  all  right!"  But  they  were  wedged 
in  so,  there  was  nothing  to  do  but  to  take  their 
turn  and  let  the  passengers  in  front  descend. 

" Jasper  —  oh,  Papa  Fisher!"  At  last  Polly 
was  out  on  the  platform  where  she  stood  on  her 
tiptoes  and  waved  her  hand. 

"Are  you  all  right?"  asked  Jasper  eagerly, 
craning  his  neck  to  see  for  himself. 

"Yes  —  yes!"  cried  Polly.  And  then  pres 
ently  they  had  her  on  either  hand!  "Oh,  help 
Alexia,"  she  cried,  turning  back. 

Dr.  Fisher  took  one  look  through  his  big  glasses. 
"Well,  well,  Pennell,"  he  exclaimed,  "you  here?" 
and  he  skipped  over  to  them. 

"I  really  believe  so,"  laughed  Dr.  Pennell. 

"Dear  me!"  Little  Dr.  Fisher  glanced  at 
Alexia  quickly. 

"Nothing  but  sprained,"  the  other  doctor  said 
quickly.  "Still,  it  needs  careful  attention." 

And  then  it  came  out  that  Alexia's  aunt  had 
heard  a  chance  word  dropped  about  the  accident, 
and  had  run  down  to  Mr.  King's  in  her  distress, 
so  she  was  there  awaiting  them;  and  the  fathers 
and  brothers  of  the  rest  of  the  "Salisbury  girls" 
took  off  their  charges,  much  to  the  relief  of  the 
governess.  So  presently  Jasper  had  his  party  all 


92       FIVE    LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

settled  in  the  carriage,  Dr.  Pennell  saying,  "Well, 
I  resign  my  responsibility  about  that  arm  to  you, 
Dr.  Fisher."  He  lifted  his  hat,  and  was  off. 

"Oh,  wait!"  cried  Polly  in  great  distress  as 
Thomas  was  just  starting  off  with  a  dash,  "I 
must  speak  to  him." 

"Polly  — what  is  it?"  cried  Jasper.  "Wait, 
Thomas!"  So  Thomas  pulled  up. 

"I  must  —  I  must,"  declared  Polly.  Her  foot 
was  on  the  step,  and  she  was  soon  out. 

"I'll  go  with  you,"  said  Jasper,  as  she  sped 
down  through  the  streams  of  people  pouring 
along  the  platform,  tc  thread  her  way  after  the 
tall  figure,  Jasper  by  her  side..  "Dr.  Pennell  — 
oh,  please  stop." 

"Hey?"  The  doctor  pulled  up  in  his  brisk 
walk.  "Oh  dear  me!  what  is  it?" 

"Will  you  please  tell  me  —  do  you  know  who 
the  poor  man  was  who  was  killed?"  she  gasped. 

"Oh  Polly,"  cried  Jasper,  "was  there  some 
one  killed?" 

"Yes,  he  was  a  brakeman,  Polly,"  said  Dr. 
Pennell. 

"Oh,  I  know  —  but  where  did  he  live?"  cried 
Polly,  "and  had  he  any  children?"  all  in  one 
breath. 


THE   SALISBURY   GIRLS  93 

"A  big  family,  I  understand,"  said  the  doctor 
gravely. 

"Oh  dear  me!"  exclaimed  Polly  with  a  sorry 
droop  to  the  bright  head,  and  clasping  her  hands, 
"could  you,  Dr.  Pennell,  tell  me  anything  more?" 

"  That's  all  I  know  about  the  poor  fellow," 
said  the  doctor.  "The  conductor  told  me  that." 

"I'll  find  out  for  you  to-morrow,  Polly,5'  said 
Jasper  quickly;  "I'll  run  down  to  the  railroad 
office,  and  get  all  the  news  I  can." 

"And  I'll  go  with  you,"  said  Polly,  "for  I 
most  knowr  Grandpapa  will  let  me.  He  was  so 
very  good  to  us  all  —  that  poor  man  was,"  she 
mourned. 

"Yes,  Polly,  there's  no  doubt  of  that,"  Dr. 
Pennell  said  abruptly.  "You  and  I  maybe 
wouldn't  be  standing  here  if  it  were  not  for  him." 

Jasper  shivered,  and  laid  hold  of  Polly's  arm. 
"Well  now,  run  along  and  get  home,"  finished 
the  doctor  cheerily,  "and  look  out  for  that  plucky 
little  friend  of  yours,  and  I'll  try  and  find  out, 
too,  about  that  brakeman,  and  we'll  talk  the 
thing  over.3'  So  Polly  and  Jasper  raced  back 
again  down  over  the  platform,  clambered  into  the 
carriage,  and  away  they  went  home  to  Grandpapa 
and  Mamsie! 


94       FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

And  Alexia  and  her  aunt  staid  all  night.  And 
after  the  whole  story  had  been  gone  over  and 
over,  and  Grandpapa  had  held  Polly  on  his  knee, 
all  the  time  she  was  not  in  Mamsie's  lap,  and 
Alexia  had  had  her  poor  arm  taken  care  of,  and 
all  bandaged  up,  Dr.  Fisher  praising  her  for 
being  so  cool  and  patient,  why  then  it  was  nearly 
eleven  o'clock. 

"Dear  me!  Polly,"  cried  Mother  Fisher  in 
dismay,  looking  over  at  the  clock  —  they  were  all 
in  the  library,  and  all  visitors  had  been  denied  — 
"the  very  idea!  you  children  must  get  to  bed." 

"Yes  —  or  you  won't  be  cool  and  patient  to 
morrow,"  said  Dr.  Fisher  decidedly,  and  patting 
Alexia's  bandages.  "Now  run  off,  little  girl,  and 
we'll  see  you  bright  as  a  button  in  the  morning." 

"I'm  not  cool  and  patient,"  declared  Alexia, 
abruptly  pulling  down,  with  her  well  hand,  the 
little  doctor  till  she  could  whisper  in  his  ear. 
"Oh,  aunt  does  fuss  so  —  you  can't  think;  I'm 
a  raging  wild  animal." 

"Well,  you  haven't  been  raging  to-night, 
Alexia,"  said  the  little  doctor,  bursting  out  into  a 
laugh. 

"Oh,  hush,  do,"  implored  Alexia,  who  wasn't 
in  the  slightest  degree  afraid  to  speak  her  mind, 


THE    SALISBURY    GIRLS  95 

least  of  all  to  Dr.  Fisher,  whom  she  liked  im 
mensely;  "they'll  all  hear  us,"  she  brought  up  in 
terror. 

"What  is  it,  Alexia?"  cried  her  aunt  from  the 
sofa,  where  Dr.  Fisher  had  asked  her  to  be 
seated,  as  it  was  well  across  the  room.  "Oh,  is 
she  worse?"  she  exclaimed,  hurrying  over  nerv 
ously. 

"There,  now,  you  see,"  cried  Alexia  tragically, 
and  sinking  back  in  her  chair;  "everything's  just 
as  bad  as  can  be  now." 

"Not  in  the  least,  Miss  Rhys,"  the  little  doc 
tor  said  in  his  cheeriest  tones,  "only  Alexia  and  I 
had  a  little  joke  all  by  ourselves."  And  as  he 
waited  coolly  for  the  maiden  lady  to  return  to 
her  seat,  she  soon  found  herself  back  there.  Then 
he  went  over  to  Mamsie,  and  said  something  in 
a  low  tone. 

"Yes,  Adoniram."  Mother  Fisher  nodded 
over  Polly's  brown  head.  "  She  ought  to  have  a 
good  night's  sleep." 

"Polly,"  said  Dr.  Fisher,  leaning  over  her, 
"it's  just  this:  that  aunt  of  Alexia's  —  she's  a 
good  enough  sort  of  a  woman,  I  suppose," 
wrinkling  his  brows  in  perplexity  to  find  the 
right  words,  "but  she  certainly  does  possess  the 


98       FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"Oh  bless  me!"  exclaimed  old  Mr.  King 
hastily,  "Polly,  see  here,  my  child,  well  —  well, 
in  the  morning  perhaps  —  dear  me !  —  we  can 
tell  then  whether  it's  best  for  you  to  go  to  school 
or  not.  Come,  kiss  me  good  night,  again." 

So  Polly  ran  back  and  gave  him  two  or  three 
kisses,  and  then  raced  off,  Jasper  having  time  to 
whisper  at  the  door:  "I  most  know,  Polly, 
father'll  let  you  go;  I  really  and  truly  believe 
he  will." 

"I  believe  so  too,"  cried  Polly  happily. 

And  sure  enough,  he  did.  For  the  next  morn 
ing  Polly  ran  down  to  breakfast  as  merry  as  a 
bee,  brown  eyes  dancing,  as  if  accidents  were 
never  to  be  thought  of ;  and  Grandpapa  pinched 
her  rosy  cheek,  and  said:  "Well,  Polly,  you've 
won!  Off  with  you  to  school."  And  Polly 
tucked  her  books  under  her  arm,  and  raced  off 
with  Jasper,  \vho  always  went  to  school  with  her 
as  far  as  their  paths  went,  turning  off  at  the 
corner  where  she  hurried  off  to  Miss  Salisbury's 
select  school,  to  go  to  his  own. 

"Oh,  here  comes  Polly  Pepper!"     The  girls, 
some  of  them  waiting  for  her  at  the  big  iron 
gate,  raced  down  to  meet    her.     "  Oh  Polly  - 
Polly."     At  that  a  group  of  girls  on  the  steps 


THE    SALISBURY   GIRLS  99 

turned,  and  came  flying  up,  too.  "Oh,  tell  us 
all  about  the  awful  accident,"  they  screamed. 
"Tell,  Polly,  do."  They  swarmed  all  over 
her. 

"Give  me  the  books,"  and  one  girl  seized 
them.  "I'll  carry  them  for  you,  Polly." 

"And,  Polly,  not  one  of  the  other  girls  that 
went  out  to  Silvia  Home's  is  here  this  morning." 

"They  may  come  yet,"  said  Polly;  "it's  not 
late." 

"Oh,  I  know;  we  came  early  to  meet  you; 
well,  Silvia  isn't  here  either." 

"Oh,  she  can't  come,  because  of  her  cousin," 
said  Polly,  "and- 

"Well,  I  don't  care  whether  she  ever  comes," 
declared  Leslit  Fyle.  "I  can't  abide  that  Silvia 
Home." 

"Nor  I,"  said  another  girl,  "she's  so  full  of 
her  airs  and  graces,  and  always  talking  about  her 
fine  place  at  Edgewood.  Oh  dear  me !  I'm  sick 
of  Edgewood!" 

A  little  disagreeable  laugh  went  around. 

"Oh,  I'll  tell  you  of  the  accident,"  said  Polly; 
"come,  let's  sit  down  on  the  steps;  we've  ten 
minutes  yet." 

"Yes,  do,  do,"  cried  the  girls,     So  they  huddled 


ioo     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

up  together  on  the  big  stone  steps,  Polly  in  the 
middle,  and  she  told  them  the  whole  story  as 
fast  as  she  could.  Meantime  other  girls  hurry 
ing  to  school,  saw  them  from  a  distance,  and 
broke  into  a  run  to  get  there  in  time. 

And  Polly  gave  Alexia's  love  all  round,  as  she 
had  been  commissioned  to  do. 

"We'll  go  up  to  your  house  to  see  her,"  cried 
Leslie,  "perhaps  this  afternoon." 

"Oh,  no,  you  mustn't,"  said  Polly.  "I'm 
dreadfully  sorry,  girls,  but  Papa  Fisher  says  no 
one  must  come  yet,  till  he  sends  word  by  me." 

"I  thought  you  said  Alexia  was  all  right." 

"And  if  her  arm  isn't  broken  I  should  think  we 
might  see  her,"  said  a  big  girl  on  the  edge  of  the 
circle  discontentedly.  She  had  private  reasons 
for  wishing  the  interview  as  soon  as  possible,  as 
she  and  Alexia  had  quarrelled  the  day  before, 
and  now  it  was  quite  best  to  ignore  all  differ 
ences,  and  make  it  up. 

"But  she's  had  a  great  strain,  and  Papa- 
Doctor  says  it  isn^t  best,"  repeated  Polly  very 
distinctly,  "so  we  can't  even  think  of  it,  Sarah." 

"Polly?  is  that  Polly  Pepper?"  exclaimed  a 
voice  in  the  hall. 

"  Oh,  yes,  Miss  Anstice,"  cried  Polly,  hopping 


THE   SALISBURY    GIRLS  101 

up  so  quickly  she  nearly  overthrew  some  of  the 
bunch  of  girls. 

Yes,  she  had  on  the  black  silk  gown,  and 
Polly  fancied  she  could  hear  it  crackle,  it  was  so 
stiff,  as  Miss  Anstice  advanced  primly. 

"I  hear  that  there  was  an  accident,  Polly 
Pepper,  last  night,  which  you  and  some  of  the 
other  girls  were  in.  Now,  why  did  you  not  come 
and  tell  me  or  sister  at  once  about  it?" 

"Oh  dear  me!  do  forgive  me,"  cried  poor 
Polly,  now  seeing  that  she  had  done  a  very  wrong 
thing  not  to  have  acquainted  Miss  Salisbury  first 
with  all  the  particulars.  "I  do  hope  you  will 
forgive  me,  Miss  Anstice,"  she  begged  over 
again. 

"7.  find  it  very  difficult  to  overlook  it,  Polly," 
said  Miss  Anstice,  who  was  much  disturbed  by 
the  note  she  held  in  her  hand,  just  delivered,  by 
which  Professor  Mills  informed  her  he  should  be 
unable  to  deliver  his  address  that  morning  before 
her  art  class.  So  she  added  with  asperity,  "It 
would  have  been  quite  the  proper  thing,  and 
something  that  would  naturally,  I  should  sup 
pose,  suggest  itself  to  a  girl  brought  up  as  you 
have  been,  Polly,  to  come  at  once  to  the  head  of 
the  school  with  the  information." 


102     FIVE    LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

Polly,  feeling  that  all  this  reflected  on  Mamsie 
and  her  home  training,  had  yet  nothing  to  do 
but  to  stand  pale  and  quiet  on  the  steps. 

"She  couldn't  help  it."  The  big  girl  pushed 
her  way  into  the  inner  circle.  "We  girls  all  just 
made  her  stop.  My!  Miss  Anstice,  it  was  just  a 
mob  here  when  we  saw  Polly  coming." 

"Sarah  Miller,  you  have  nothing  to  say  until 
I  address  you."  A  little  red  spot  was  coming  on 
either  cheek  as  Miss  Anstice  turned  angrily  to 
the  big  girl.  "And  I  shall  at  once  report  you  to 
sister,  for  improper  behavior." 

"Oh  dear,  dear!  Well,  I  wish  'sister'  would 
fire  old  black  silk,"  exclaimed  a  girl  on  the  edge 
of  the  circle  under  her  breath.  "Look  at  her 
now.  Isn't  she  a  terror!"  and  then  the  big  bell 
rang,  and  they  all  filed  in. 

"Now  she  won't  let  us  have  our  picnic;  she'll 
go  against  it  every  way  she  can,"  cried  a  girl  who 
was  out  of  dangerous  earshot.  And  the  terror  of 
this  spread  as  they  all  scampered  down  the  hall. 

"Oh  dear,  dear!  to  think  this  should  have 
happened  on  her  black  silk  day!" 

"No,  we  won't  get  it  now,  you  may  depend," 
cried  ever  so  many.  And  poor  Polly,  with  all 
this  added  woe,  to  make  her  feel  responsible  for 


THE    SALISBURY    GIRLS  103 

the  horrible  beginning  of  the  day,  sank  into  her 
seat  and  leaned  her  head  on  her  desk. 

The  picnic,  celebrated  as  an  annual  holiday, 
was  given  by  Miss  Salisbury  to  the  girls,  if  all 
had  gone  well  in  the  school,  and  no  transgressions 
of  rules,  or  any  misdemeanor,  marred  the  term. 
Miss  Anstice  never  had  looked  with  favor  on  the 
institution,  and  the  girls  always  felt  that  she 
went  out  of  her  way  to  spy  possible  insubordina 
tion  among  the  scholars.  So  they  strove  not  to 
get  out  of  her  good  graces,  observing  special  care 
when  the  "black  silk  days"  came  around. 

On  this  unlucky  day,  everything  seemed  against 
them;  and  as  Miss  Anstice  stalked  off  to  sit  upon 
the  platform  by  "sister"  for  the  opening  exer 
cises,  the  girls  felt  it  was  all  up  with  them,  and 
a  general  gloom  fell  upon  the  long  schoolroom. 

Miss  Salisbury's  gentle  face  was  turned  in  sur 
prise  upon  them  as  she  scanned  the  faces.  And 
then,  the  general  exercises  being  over,  the  classes 
were  called,  and  she  and  "sister"  were  left  on 
the  platform  alone. 

"Oh,  now  she's  getting  the  whole  thing!" 
groaned  Leslie,  looking  back  from  the  hall,  to 
peer  in.  "Old  black  silk  is  giving  it  to  her. 
Oh,  I  just  hate  Miss  Anstice!" 


io4     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"Sarah,  why  couldn't  you  have  kept  still?" 
cried  another  girl.  "If  you  hadn't  spoken,  Miss 
Anstice  would  have  gotten  over  it." 

"Well,  I  wasn't  going  to  have  Polly  Pepper 
blamed,"  said  Sarah  sturdily.  "If  you  were 
willing  to,  I  wasn't  going  to  stand  still  and  hear 
it,  when  it  was  our  fault  she  told  us  first." 

"Oh,  no,  Sarah,"  said  Polly,  "it  surely  was  my 
own  self  that  was  to  blame.  I  ought  to  have 
run  in  and  told  Miss  Salisbury  first.  Well,  now, 
girls,  what  shall  I  do  ?  I've  lost  that  picnic  for 
you  all,  for  I  don't  believe  she  will  let  us  have  it 
now." 

"No,  she  won't,"  cried  Leslie  tragically;  "of 
that  you  may  be  sure,  Polly  Pepper." 


VIII    "  WE'RE  TO  HAVE  OUR  PICNIC  i" 

AND  that  afternoon  Polly  kept  back  bad 
recollections  of  the  gloomy  morning  at 
school  as  well  as  she  could.  She  didn't  let  Alexia 
get  the  least  bit  of  a  hint  about  it,  although  how 
she  ever  escaped  letting  her  find  it  out,  she  never 
could  quite  tell,  but  rattled  on,  all  the  messages 
the  girls  had  sent,  and  every  bit  of  school  news 
she  could  think  of. 

"Were  the  other  girls  who  went  to  Silvia's,  at 
school?"  asked  Alexia  suddenly,  and  twitching 
up  her  pillow  to  get  higher  in  bed,  for  Dr.  Fisher 
had  said  she  mustn't  get  up  this  first  day;  and  a 
hard  piece  of  work  Mother  Fisher  had  had  to 
keep  the  aunt  out  of  the  room. 

"I  wouldn't  go  in,"  Mamsie  would  say;  "Dr. 
Fisher  doesn't  wish  her  to  be  disturbed.  To 
morrow,  Miss  Rhys."  And  it  was  all  done  so 
quietly  that  Alexia's  aunt  would  imd  herself  off 
down  in  the  library  again  and  busy  with  a  book, 
very  much  to  her  own  surprise. 

105 


io6     FIVE    LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"I'll  shake  'em  up,"  Polly  cried;  and  hopping 
off  from  the  foot  of  the  bed,  she  thumped  the 
pillows,  if  not  with  a  merry,  at  least  with  a  vig 
orous  hand.  "There  now,"  crowding  them  in 
back  of  Alexia's  restless  head,  "isn't  that  fine?" 

"I  should  think  it  was,"  exclaimed  Alexia  with 
a  sigh  of  satisfaction,  and  giving  her  long  figure 
a  contented  stretch;  "you  do  know  just  the  best 
things  to  do,  Polly  Pepper.  Well,  tell  on.  I 
suppose  Amy  Garrett  is  perfectly  delighted  to 
cut  that  old  art  lecture." 

"Oh,  Professor  Mills  didn't  come  at  all,"  said 
Polly.  That  brought  it  all  back  about  Miss 
Anstice,  and  her  head  drooped  suddenly. 

"Didn't  come?  oh  dear'"  And  Alexia  fell  to 
laughing  so,  that  she  didn't  notice  Polly's  face  at 
all.  But  her  aunt  popping  in,  she  became  sober 
at  once,  and  ran  her  head  under  the  bedclothes. 

"Oh,  are  you  worse?  is  she,  Polly?"  cried 
Miss  Rhys  all  in  a  flutter.  "I  heard  her  cry,  I 
thought." 

"No,  I  was  laughing,"  said  Alexia,  pulling  up 
her  face  red  and  shining.  "Do  go  right  away, 
aunt.  Dr.  Fisher  said  Polly  was  to  tell  me  things." 

"Well,  if  you  are  not  worse,"  said  her  aunt, 
slowly  turning  away. 


"WE'RE   TO    HAVE   OUR   PICNIC!"         107 

"No,"  said  Alexia.  "Polly  Pepper,  do  get  up 
and  shut  that  door,"  she  cried;  "slam  it,  and 
lock  it." 

"Oh,  no,"  said  Polly,  in  dismay  at  the  very 
thought,  "I  couldn't  ever  do  that,  Alexia." 

"Well,  then  I  will."  Alexia  threw  back  the 
bedclothes  with  a  desperate  hand,  and  thrust  one 
foot  out. 

"If  you  clo,"  said  Polly,  not  moving  from 
where  she  sat  on  the  foot  of  the  bed,  "I  shall  go 
out  of  this  room,  and  not  come  back  to-day." 

"Shall  you  really?"  cried  Alexia,  fixing  her 
pale  eyes  on  her. 

"Yes,  indeed  I  shall,"  said  Polly  firmly. 

"Oh,  then  I'm  not  going."  Alexia  drew  in  her 
foot,  and  huddled  all  the  clothes  up  over  her 
head.  "Polly  Pepper,"  she  said  in  muffled  tones, 
"yoif  re  a  perfectly  dreadful  creature,  and  if  you'd 
gone  and  sprained  your  arm  in  a  horrible  old 
railway  accident  and  were  tied  in  bed,  I'd  do  just 
everything  you  said,  I  would." 

"Oh,  I  hope  you  wouldn't,"  said  Polly. 

"Hope  I  wouldn't!"  screamed  Alexia,  flinging 
all  the  clothes  away  again  to  stare  at  Polly  out 
of  very  wide  eyes.  "Whatever  do  you  mean, 
Polly  Pepper?" 


io8     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS   AT   SCHOOL 

"I  hope  you  wouldn't  do  as  I  wanted  you  to," 
said  Polly  distinctly,  "if  I  wanted  something  that 
was  bad." 

"Well,  that's  a  very  different  thing,"  mumbled 
Alexia.  "Oh  dear  me!"  She  gave  a  grimace  at 
a  twinge  of  pain  in  her  arm.  "This  isn't  bad; 
I  only  wanted  that  door  shut." 

"Oh  now,  Alexia,  you've  hurt  your  arm!" 
cried  Polly;  "do  keep  still,  else  Papa- Doctor 
won't  let  me  stay  in  here." 

"Oh  dear,  dear!  I'll  keep  still,"  promised 
Alexia,  making  up  her  mind  that  horses  shouldn't 
drag  any  expression  of  pain  from  her  after  that. 

"I  mean,  do  sit  up  straight  against  your  pil 
lows;  you've  got  'em  all  mussed  up  again,"  cried 
Polly.  So  she  hopped  off  from  the  bed,  and 
thumped  them  into  shape  once  more. 

"I  wish  you'd  turn  'em  over,"  said  Alexia: 
"they're  so  hot  on  that  side."  So  Polly  whisked 
over  the  pillows,  and  patted  them  straight,  and 
Alexia  sank  back  against  them  again. 

"Wouldn't  you  like  me  to  smooth  your  hair, 
Alexia?"  asked  Polly.  "Mamsie  does  that  to 
me  when  I  don't  feel  good." 

"Yes,  I  should,"  said  Alexia,  "like  it  very 
much  indeed,  Polly." 


"WE'RE    TO    HAVE   OUR   PICNIC!1'         109 

So  Polly,  feeling  quite  happy,  albeit  the  re 
membrance  of  the  morning  still  lay  deep  in  her 
mind,  ran  off  for  the  brush  and  comb.  "And 
I'm  going  to  braid  it  all  over,"  she  said  with 
great  satisfaction,  "after  I've  rubbed  your  head." 

"Well,  now  tell  on,"  said  Alexia,  as  Polly 
climbed  up  back  of  the  pillows,  and  began  to 
smooth  the  long  light  fluffs  of  hair,  trying  to  do 
it  just  as  Mamsie  always  did  for  her.  "You  say 
Professor  Mills  didn't  come  —  oh  dear!  and  think 
of  that  black  silk  gown  wasted  on  the  girls.  Well, 
I  suppose  she  was  cross  as  two  sticks  because  he 
didn't  come,  wasn't  she,  Polly?  Oh  dear  me! 
well,  I'm  glad  I  wasn't  there,"  she  hurried  on, 
not  waiting  for  a  reply;  "I'd  rather  be  in  with 
this  old  bundle"  —she  patted  her  bandages  — 
"Oh  Polly!"  She  started  up  so  suddenly  that  the 
brush  flew  out  of  Polly's  lap  and  spun  away 
across  the  floor.  "Take  care,"  said  Polly,  "oh, 
there  goes  the  comb  now,"  and  she  skipped 
down,  recovered  the  articles,  and  jumped  up  to 
her  post  again.  "What  is  it,  Alexia?" 

"Why,  I've  just  thought  —  you  don't  suppose 
Miss  Salisbury  will  appoint  the  day  for  the  pic 
nic,  do  you,  while  my  arm  is  lame?" 

The  color  in  Polly's  cheeks  went  out,  and  she 


no     FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

was  glad  that  she  could  get  well  behind  the 
pillows. 

"Oh,  no,  Alexia,"  she  made  herself  say,  "we 
wouldn't  ever  in  all  this  world  have  the  picnic 
till  you  were  well.  How  could  you  think  it, 
Alexia?" 

"I  didn't  believe  you  would,"  cried  Alexia, 
much  gratified,  and  huddling  down  again,  with 
out  once  seeing  Polly's  face,  "but  most  of  the 
girls  don't  care  about  me,  Polly,  and  they  wouldn't 
mind." 

"Oh  yes,  they  do,"  said  Polly  reassuringly, 
"they're  very  fond  of  you,  most  of  them  are." 

"Well,"  said  Alexia,  "I'm  not  fond  of  them, 
so  I  don't  really  expect  them  to  be,  Polly.  But 
I  shouldn't  like  'em  to  go  off  and  have  that  pic 
nic  when  I  couldn't  go.  Was  anything  said  about 
it,  Polly?"  she  asked  abruptly. 

"Miss  Salisbury  or  Miss  Anstice  didn't  say 
a  word,"  said  Polly,  trembling  for  the  next  ques 
tion.  Just  then  Mother  Fisher  looked  in  with  a 
smile.  "Polly,  you  are  wanted,"  she  said. 
"Grandpapa  and  Jasper  are  ready  to  go  to  the 
railroad  station.  I'm  going  to  stay  with  Alexia 
and  finish  her  hair  just  as  I  do  for  Polly." 

Alexia   looked   up   and   smiled.     It    was   next 


"WE'RE    TO    HAVE    OUR    PICNIC!"          in 

best  to  having  Polly,  to  have  Airs.  Fisher.  So 
Polly,  happy  to  have  a  respite  from  Alexia's  ques 
tions  about  the  picnic,  and  happier  still  to  be 
going  to  find  out  something  about  the  poor  brake- 
man's  family,  flew  off  from  the  bed,  set  a  kiss 
on  Alexia's  hot  cheek,  and  another  on  Mamsie's, 
and  raced  off. 

"I'm  coming,  Jasper/'  she  called.  She  could 
see  him  below  in  the  wide  hall. 

"All  right,  don't  hurry  so,  father  isn't  ready 
yet.  Dear  me!  Polly,  you  can  get  ready  so 
quickly  for  things!"  he  said  admiringly.  And, 
in  the  glow  of  starting,  he  couldn't  see  that  Pol 
ly's  spirits  seemed  at  a  low  ebb,  and  he  drew  a 
long  breath  as  he  tried  to  make  himself  believe 
that  what  he  had  noticed  at  luncheon  wasn't 
really  so  at  all. 

And  Polly,  between  Grandpapa  and  Jasper, 
tried  to  make  them  have  such  a  good  time  that 
really  it  seemed  no  walk  at  all,  and  they  were 
all  quite  surprised  when  they  found  themselves 
there. 

"We  must  go  up  into  the  superintendent's 
room,"  said  Mr.  King.  So  up  the  long  stairs 
they  went,  the  old  gentleman  grumbling  at  every 
step  because  there  was  no  elevator,  and  at  all 


ii2     FIVE    LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

other  matters  and  things  that  were,  as  he  de 
clared,  "at  loose  ends  in  the  whole  system." 
At  last  they  stood  before  the  desk. 

"Have  the  goodness,"  began  old  Mr.  King  to 
the  official,  a  short,  pompous  person  who  came 
up  in  the  absence  of  the  superintendent  and  now 
turned  a  cold  face  up  to  them,  "to  give  me  some 
information  regarding  a  brakeman  who  was  killed 
last  night  in  the  accident  to  the  train  due  here 

at  745." 

"Don't  know  anything  about  him,"  said  the 
official  in  the  crispest  accents.  He  looked  as  if 
he  cared  less,  and  was  about  to  slam  down  the 
window,  when  Mr.  King  asked,  "Does  anybody 
in  this  office  know?" 

"  Can't  say."  The  official  pulled  out  his  watch, 
compared  it  with  the  big  clock  on  the  wall,  then 
turned  away. 

"Do  any  of  you  know  who  the  man  was  who 
was  killed  last  night?"  asked  the  old  gentleman, 
putting  his  face  quite  close  to  the  window,  and 
speaking  in  such  clear,  distinct  tones  that  every 
clerk  looked  up. 

Each  man  searched  all  the  other  faces.  No, 
they  didn't  know;  except  one,  a  little,  thin, 
weazen-faced  person  over  in  the  corner,  at  a  high 


"WE'RE    TO    HAVE   OUR    PICNIC!"         113 

desk,  copying.  "I  only  know  that  his  name  was 
Jim,"  he  said  in  a  voice  to  match  his  figure. 

"Have  the  goodness  to  step  this  way,  sir,  and 
tell  me  what  you  do  know,"  said  Mr.  King  in 
such  a  way  that  the  little  man,  but  with  many 
glances  for  the  pompous  individual,  slipped  off 
from  his  high  stool,  to  advance  to  the  window 
rubbing  his  hands  together  deprecatingly.  The 
other  clerks  all  laid  down  their  pens  to  see  the 
interview. 

"What  was  his  name  —  this  brakeman's ? "  de 
manded  Mr.  King. 

"I  don't  know,  sir,"  said  the  little,  thin  clerk. 
"Jim  —  that  was  all  I  knew  him  by.  I  used  to 
see  him  of  a  morning  when  I  was  coming  to  the 
office,  and  he  was  waiting  to  take  his  train.  He 
was  a  steady  fellow,  Jim  was,"  he  added,  anx 
iously  scanning  the  handsome  face  beneath  the 
white  hair. 

"I  don't  doubt  that,"  said  old  Mr.  King  hastily. 
"I  don't  in  the  least  doubt  it." 

"And  he  wasn't  given  to  drink,  sir,"  the  little, 
thin  clerk  cried  abruptly,  "although  some  did 
say  it  who  shouldn't;  for  there  were  many  after 
Jim's  place.  He  had  an  easy  run.  And  - 

"Yes,  yes;   well,  now  what  I  want  to  know," 


ii4     FIVE    LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

said  Mr.  King  interrupting  the  stream,  Polly  and 
Jasper  on  either  side  having  a  hard  time  to  con 
trol  their  impatience,  "is  where  this  'Jim,'  as  you 
call  him,  lived,  and  what  was  his  last  name." 

"That  I  don't  know,  sir,"  said  the  little,  thin 
clerk.  "I  only  know  he  had  a  family,  for  once 
in  a  while  when  I  had  a  minute  to  spare  he'd 
get  to  talking  about  'em,  when  we  met.  Jim 
was  awful  fond  of  'em;  that  any  one  could 
see." 

"Yes,  well,  now  what  would  he  say?"  asked 
the  old  gentleman,  trying  to  hurry  matters  along. 
The  pompous  official  had  his  eye  on  the  clock. 
It  might  go  hard  for  the  little,  thin  clerk  in  his 
seedy  coat,  if  he  took  too  much  time  from  office 
hours. 

"Why,  he  had  one  girl  who  was  crazy  about 
music,"  said  the  little  clerk,  "  and  —  " 

"Oh  dear  me!"  exclaimed  Polly.  Old  Mr. 
King  heard  her  sigh  at  his  side,  and  he  cried, 
"Well,  what  else?" 

"Why.  I've  heard  Jim  say  more'n  once  he'd 
live  on  bread  and  water  if  he  could  only  give  his 
daughter  a  chance.  And  there  were  his  three 
boys." 

"  Three  boys,"  echoed  Mr.  King  sharply. 


"WE'RE   TO    HAVE   OUR    PICNIC!"         115 

"Yes,  sir.  I  saw  'em  round  the  train  once  or 
twice;  they  were  likely  chaps,  it  seemed  to  me." 
The  little,  thin  clerk,  a  bachelor  with  several 
unmarried  sisters  on  his  hands  for  support,  sighed 
deeply. 

"Well,  now,"  cried  Mr.  King,  thinking  it  quite 
time  to  bring  the  interview  to  a  close,  "I'd 
take  it  quite  kindly  if  you'd  find  out  for  me  all 
you  can  about  this  Jim.  A  member  of  my  fam 
ily  was  on  the  train  last  night,  who  but  for  this 
noble  brakeman  might  —  might  —  bless  me! 
There  is  my  card."  The  old  gentleman  pulled 
out  one  "rom  his  cardcase,  then  fell  to  wiping  his 
face  violently. 

"What  is  your  name?"  asked  Jasper,  seeing 
that  his  father  couldn't  speak. 

"Hiram  Potter,"  said  the  little  clerk.  The 
pompous  official  drew  near,  and  looked  over  his 
shoulder  at  the  card.  " Oh!  why  —  Mr.  King!" 
he  cried,  all  the  pomposity  suddenly  gone.  "I 
beg  your  pardon;  what  can  I  do  for  you,  sir?" 

"Nothing  whatever,  sir."  Mr.  King  waved  him 
away.  "Well,  now,  Mr.  Potter,  if  you'll  be  so 
very  good  as  to  get  this  information  for  me  as 
soon  as  possible  and  bring  up  to  my  house,  I'll 
be  very  much  indebted  to  you."  With  a  bow 


n6     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS   AT   SCHOOL 

to  him,  in  which  the  official  was  nowise  included, 
the  old  gentleman  and  Polly  and  Jasper  went  off 
down  the  stairs  again. 

"Finkle,  you're  caught  this  time;  you're  in  a 
hole,"  the  brother  officials  sang  out  when  the 
card  had  been  displayed  around  the  office.  "I 
wouldn't  want  to  be  in  your  shoes,"  said  more 
than  one. 

Finkle  tried  to  brave  out  the  dismay  he  felt  at 
having  offended  the  powerful  millionaire  railroad 
director,  but  he  made  but  a  poor  show  of  it. 
Meanwhile  the  little,  thin  clerk,  slipping  the 
precious  card  into  his  seedy  coat  pocket,  clam 
bered  up  to  his  high  stool,  his  mind  busy  with 
plans  to  unearth  all  possible  information  con 
cerning  Jim,  the  brakeman,  as  soon  as  the  big 
clock  up  on  the  wall  should  let  them  out  of  the 
office. 

"Polly,  my  dear,"  old  Mr.  King  kept  saying, 
as  they  went  down  the  stairs,  and  he  held  her 
hand  very  closely,  "I  think  this  Potter —  a  very 
good  sort  of  a  man  he  seems  to  be,  too  —  will 
find  out  all  we  want  to  know  about  Jim.  I  really 
do,  Polly;  so  we  won't  worry  about  it,  child." 

Nevertheless,  on  top  of  all  the  rest  that  was 
worrying  her,  Polly  had  a  sorry  enough  time, 


"WE'RE    TO    HAVE   OUR    PICNIC!"         117 

to  keep  her  troubles  from  sh  wing  on  her  face. 
And  after  dinner,  when  the  bell  pealed  violently, 
she  gave  a  great  start  and  turned  quite  pale. 

Jasper  saw  it.  "I  don't  believe  it's  any  bad 
news,  Polly,"  he  hastened  to  say  reassuringly, 
and  longing  to  comfort,  though  he  couldn't  im 
agine  the  reason. 

"Oh,  where's  Polly?"  She  head  the  girls' 
voices  out  in  the  hall,  and  ran  out  to  meet  them. 
"Oh  dear  me!"  she  cried  at  sight  of  their  faces 
that  confirmed  her  worst  fears. 

"Yes,  oh  Polly,  it's  just  as  I  said,"  cried 
Leslie  Fyle,  precipitating  herself  against  Polly. 
"Now,  girls,  keep  back;  I'm  going  to  tell  her 
first." 

"Well,  we  are  all  going  to  tell  too,  Les;  that's 
what  we've  come  for,"  cried  the  others,  crowding 
up. 

"Oh,  what  is  it?"  cried  Polly,  standing  quite 
still,  and  feeling  as  if  she  never  could  hold  up 
her  head  again  now  that  the  picnic  was  lost 
through  her. 

"I  shall  tell,  myself,"  declared  Sarah  bluntly. 
"I'm  the  one,  it  seems,  that  made  all  the  trouble, 
so  it  really  belongs  to  me,  I  should  think,  to  be 
the  first  speaker." 


n8     FIVE    LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

Polly  folded  her  hands  tightly  toge  her,  while 
the  babel  went  on,  feeling  that  if  she  didn't  hear 
the  dreaded  news  soon,  she  should  fly  off  to 
Mamsie. 

1  Miss  Salisbury  said  — "  She  could  hear  little 
scraps  of  chatter. 

"I  know  —  oh,  do  hurry  and  tell  Polly." 

"Oh,  and  just  think,  Miss  Salisbury " 

"And  Miss  Anstice  — "  Then  some  of  them 
looked  around  and  into  Polly's  face.  "Oh  my 
goodness,  girls,  see  Polly  Pepper!" 

With  that  they  all  rushed  at  her,  and  nobody 
told  first,  for  they  all  shouted  it  out  together: 
"Polly,  Miss  Salisbury  has  given  us  our  picnic!" 
and  "Polly,  isn't  it  too  splendid!"  and  "Polly 
Pepper,  just  think  how  perfectly  elegant!  Our 
picnic,  Polly  —  only  think!"  till  the  circle  in 
the  library  popped  out  their  heads  into  the 
hall. 

"Jasper,"  cried  Polly,  deserting  the  bunch  of 
"  Salisbury  girls, ''  to  plunge  up  to  him  with  shin 
ing  eyes,  "we're  to  have  our  picnic;  we  truly  are, 
Jasper,  and  I  thought  I'd  lost  it  to  all  the  girls." 

And  just  then  Johnson  advanced  down  the 
length  of  the  hall.  "It's  a  person  to  see  you, 
sir,"  he  said  to  old  Mr.  King,  —  "says  it's  quite 


"WE'RE   TO    HAVE   OUR   PICNIC!"         119 

important,  sir,  and  that  you  told  him  to  come. 
He's  sitting  by  the  door,  sir." 

"Oh,  it's  Mr.  Potter,  I  think,"  said  the  old 
gentleman;  "show  him  into  the  library,  Johnson. 
Polly,  my  child.  Bless  me!  I  don't  see  how 
you  stand  it  with  these  girls  chattering  around 
you  every  minute.  Now  be  off  with  you,"  he 
cried  gaily  to  the  group.  He  was  much  pleased 
at  the  success  of  his  plan  to  find  out  about  the 
brakeman,  of  which  he  felt  quite  sure  from  the 
appearance  so  promptly  of  the  little  clerk.  "I 
have  something  quite  important  for  Polly  to  at 
tend  to  now;  and  I  really  want  her  to  myself 
once  in  a  while." 

"Yes,  I  must  go,  girls,"  said  Polly,  turning  a 
blooming  countenance  on  them;  "  so  good  night. 
We  won't  have  the  picnic,  you  know,  till  Alexia 
is  well,"  she  added  decidedly. 

"Oh,  that's  what  Miss  Salisbury  said,"  cried 
Leslie,  turning  back.  "You  sec,  I  saw  her  after 
school  —  went  back  for  my  history  —  and  I  was 
to  tell  you  that,  Polly;  only  Sarah  spoilt  it 

all." 

"Never  mind,"   said  Polly  brightly,   "it's  all 
right  now,  since  we  are  really  to  have  our  picnic.' 
And  then  she  put  her  hand  in  old  Mr.  King's, 


120     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

quite  bubbling  over  with  happiness,  —  Jasper,  just 
as  jubilant,  since  Polly  was  herself  again,  on  the 
other  side,  — to  go  in  and  meet  the  little,  thin 
clerk,  scared  at  his  surroundings,  and  perched  on 
the  extreme  edge  of  a  library  chair. 


IX  ALL  ABOUT  THE  POOR  BRAKEMAN 

MR.  POTTER  was  very  miserable  indeed 
on  the  edge  of  his  chair,  and  twirling 
his  hat  dreadfully;  Liid  for  the  first  moment  after 
the  handsome  old  gentleman  spoke  to  him,  he 
had  nothing  to  say. 

Old  Mr.  King  was  asking  him  for  the  third 
time,  "You  found  out  all  about  poor  Jim's 
family,  eh?" 

At  last  he  emerged  from  his  fit  of  embarrass 
ment  enough  to  reply,  "  Yes,  sir." 

"Now  that  is  very  good,"  the  old  gentleman 
cried  approvingly,  and  wiped  his  face  vigorously 
after  his  effort,  "very  good  indeed,  Mr.  Potter." 

Hiram  Potter  now  followed  up  his  first  attempt 
to  find  his  voice;  and  trying  to  forget  the  hand 
some  surroundings  that  had  so  abashed  him,  he 
went  on  now  quite  glibly. 

"You  see,  sir,  there's  six  of  'em  —  Jim's 
children." 

"Dear  me!"  ejaculated  old  Mr.  King. 


122     FIVE    LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"Yes,  sir,  there  are."  Mr.  Potter's  hat  began 
to  twirl  uneasily  again.  "And  the  wife  —  she 
ain't  strong,  just  got  up  from  rheumatic  fever." 

"That's  bad  — very  bad,"  said  Mr.  King. 

"Those  three  boys  of  his  are  good,"  said  Mr. 
Potter,  brightening  up  a  bit  in  the  general  gloom; 
"and  the  biggest  one  says  he's  going  to  be  a 
brakeman  just  like  his  father.  But  the  mother 
wants  'em  all  to  go  to  schc.  )1.  You  see,  that's 
what  Jim  was  working  for." 

"And  the  girl  who  wanted  to  play  on  the 
piano?"  broke  in  Polly  eagerly.  Then  she 
blushed  rosy  red.  "  Oh,  forgive  me,  Grandpapa, 
for  interrupting."  and  she  hid  her  face  on  old 
Mr.  King's  arm. 

"I  was  just  going  to  ask  about  that  girl,  my 
self,"  said  Grandpapa  promptly.  "Tell  us  about 
her,  Mr.  Potter,  if  you  please." 

Hiram  Potter  set  his  hat  carefully  on  the  floor 
beside  his  chair.  It  was  his  Sunday  hat,  and 
evidently  that,  with  his  best  clothes  which  he 
had  donned  in  honor  of  the  occasion,  were  ob 
jects  of  great  care.  He  scratched  his  head  and 
thought  deeply.  "Well,  now,  you  see,  sir,"  he 
said  slowly,  "  that's  almost  a  hopeless  case,  and  I 
wish,  as  sure  as  I  sit  here,  that  girl  hadn't  never 


ALL   ABOUT    THE   POOR    BRAKEMAN    123 

thought  of  piano  music.  But  it's  born  in  her,  the 
mother  said;  the  girl's  grandfather  was  a  musician 
in  the  old  home  in  Germany,  and  so  she  can't 
help  it.  Why,  she's  just  so  crazy  about  it, 
she'll  drum  all  up  and  down  the  kitchen  table  to 
make  believe  that  — 

"Oh  Grandpapa  1"  cried  Polly  in  the  greatest 
excitement,  and  hopping  up  and  down  by  his 
side,  "that's  just  as  I  used  to  dc  in  the  little 
brown  house,  —  the  very  same  way,  Grandpapa, 
you  know." 

"Yes,  she  did,  father,"  :ried  Jasper,  bobbing 
his  head  scarcely  less  excited,  juc  as  if  old  Mr. 
King  hadn't  heard  the  story  many  times. 

Mr.  Potter,  for  want  of  something  to  do  to  ex 
press  his  amazement,  picked  up  his  hat,  stroked  it, 
and  set  it  down  again,  staring  with  all  his  might 

"So  you  did,  Polly;  so  you  did,  my  child," 
cried  Grandpapa,  taking  her  hands  in  both  o.: 
his,  and  looking  down  into  her  shining  eyes; 
"well,  well,  to  be  sure.  Now,  Jasper,  get  the 
tablet,  and  write  down  the  address  of  Jim's 
family  as  quickly  as  you  can,  my  boy." 

So  Jasper  ran  over  to  the  library  table,  and. 
brought  back  the  tablet  and  pencil  hanging  to  it; 
and  pretty  soon  Jirn's  borne  was  all  described 


124     FIVE  LITTLE   PEPPERS   AT   SCHOOL 

thus:  "Mrs.  James  Corcoran,  5  Willow  Court  — 
third  house  from  Haven  Street." 

"It's  kinder  hard  to  find,"  observed  Mr.  Pot 
ter  slowly,  "because  Willow  Court  runs  into 
Haven  Street  criss-cross,  and  this  number  isn't  on 
the  house;  it's  got  rubbed  off;  but  if  you  follow 
up  No.  3,  and  come  up  carefully,  why,  there 
you'll  be  where  No.  5  was." 

"Oh  dear  me!"  said  Mr.  King.  "Well,  you 
may  describe  the  house,  for  I  arn  going  down 
there  to-morrow,  and  I  certainly  do  not  wish  to 
waste  my  time  walking  about." 

Polly  and  Jasper  looked  so  very  decidedly 
"Oh,  may  we  go  too?"  that  the  old  gentleman 
added  quickly,  "And  my  young  people  will  ac 
company  me,"  which  really  left  nothing  more  to 
be  desired  at  present. 

"Well,  it's  a  yellow  house,"  said  Mr.  Potter, 
thinking  very  hard,  "that  is,  it  is  in  spots,  where 
the  paint  is  on;  and  it's  low,  and  runs  down  to 
the  back,  and  sets  sideways.  But  I  tell  you 
how  you'll  know  it.  She's  got  —  Mrs.  Jim  Cor 
coran  has  —  the  greatest  lot  of  flowers  in  her 
window.  They're  chock  full,  sir." 

"I  shall  know  it,  then,"  cried  Polly  in  great 
satisfaction. 


ALL   ABOUT   THE   POOR    BRAKEMAN    125 

"I  think  there's  no  danger,  sir,  but  what  we 
will  find  the  place  all  right."  Old  Mr.  King 
was  fumbling  in  his  pocket  in  great  perplexity. 
"It  never  would  do,"  he  decided,  pulling  his 
hand  out.  "No,  I  must  contrive  to  send  him 
something.  Well,  now  —  hem  —  Mr.  Potter," 
he  said  aloud,  "and  where  do  you  live?  Quite 
near,  I  presume?" 

"Oh,  just  the  other  end  of  the  town,  sir," 
said  Mr.  Potter.  "I  live  on  Acorn  Street." 

"Acorn  Street?"  repeated  Mr.  King,  wrinkling 
his  brows,  "and  where  may  that  be,  pray  tell?" 

"It's  over  at  the  South  End,  sir;  it  runs  off 
from  Baker  Street  and  Highland  Square." 

"Oh  yes,  yes,"  said  the  old  gentleman,  without 
much  more  idea  than  before. 

"I  know  where  it  is,  father,"  said  Jasper. 
"Dear  me!  You've  had  to  take  a  good  bit  of 
time  to  get  all  this  information,  Mr.  Potter." 

Mr.  Potter  looked  down  busily  on  the  carpet, 
trying  not  to  think  how  tired  his  feet  were,  saving 
some  car-fare  for  their  owner. 

"Well,  now  what  number?"  The  old  gentle 
man  seeming  to  desire  his  whole  address,  that 
was  soon  given  too,  —  "23  Acorn  Street,  South 
End." 


126     FIVE    LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"And  I  suppose  you  have  a  family?"  went  on 
the  old  gentleman,  determined  to  find  out  all 
there  was  to  it,  now  he  had  commenced. 

The  little  clerk  began  to  hem  and  to  haw,  be 
hind  his  hand.  "No,  sir,  I  haven't;  that  is,  yes, 
1  have  considerable  —  I  mean  my  four  sisters, 
sir;  we  all  live  together." 

"Oh  — ah!"  replied  Mr.  King.  "Well,  now 
thank  you  very  much,  Mr.  Potter;  and  as  your 
time  is  valuable,  and  should  be  paid  for," — he 
tucked  a  bill  within  the  nervous  hands. 

"Oh,  I  couldn't  take  it,  sir,"  cried  Hiram 
Potter,  greatly  distressed. 

"But  it's  your  due.  Why,  man,  I  shouldn't 
have  asked  you  to  take  all  this  trouble,  and  spend 
so  much  time  after  I've  found  you  had  so  far  to 
go. "  Mr.  King  was  really  becoming  irate  now, 
so  that  the  little  clerk  didn't  dare  to  say  more. 
"  Bless  me!  Say  no  more  • —  say  no  more!" 

The  little  clerk  was  too  much  frightened  to 
think  of  another  word;  and  finding  that  the  in 
terview  was  considered  closed,  he  picked  up  his 
hat,  and  in  some  way,  he  could  never  remember 
how,  he  soon  found  himself  out  of  the  handsome 
house,  and  skipping  off  nimbly  in  the  fresh  air, 
which  quite  revived  him. 


ALL  ABOUT    THE    POOR    BRAKEMAN     127 

"I  could  offer  him  only  a  trifle,"  old  Mr 
King  was  saying,  "only  what  might  repay  him  for 
his  trouble  and  time  to-night.  But  I  shall  speak 
to  Fraser  about  him  to-morrow,  Jasper.  That 
agent  of  mine  is,  curiously  enough,  in  want  of  a 
clerk  just  at  this  time,  and  I  know  this  little 
man  can  fit  in  very  well,  and  it  will  get  him 
away  from  that  beastly  office.  Four  sisters  — 
oh  my  goodness!  Well,  Fraser  must  give  him 
enough  to  take  care  of  them." 

"Oh,  how  fine,  father!"  exclaimed  Jasper  with 
kindling  eyes.  "And  then  the  girl  that  wants 
to  learn  to  play  on  the  piano." 

"Oh  dear  me,  yes!"  Old  Mr.  King  burst 
into  a  merry  laugh.  "I  must  look  after  that 
little  girl,  or  Polly  won't  speak  to  me,  I  am 
afraid.  Will  you,  Polly,  my  child?"  He  drew 
her  close  to  him,  and  kissed  her  blooming  cheek. 

"I  am  so  very  glad  you  are  going  to  look  out 
for  her,  Grandpapa,"  she  cried,  "because  you 
know  I  did  feel  so  dreadfully  when  I  used  to 
drum  on  the  table  in  the  little  brown  house," 
she  confessed. 

"I  know  —  I  know,  child."  Grandpapa's  face 
fell  badly,  and  he  held  her  very  close.  It  always 
broke  him  up  to  hear  the  Peppers  tell  of  the  hard 


128     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

times  in  the  little  brown  house,  and  Polly  hastened 
to  add  brightly,   "And  then  you  came,   Grand 
papa  dear,  and  you  made  it  all  just  beautiful  - 
oh   Grandpapa!"    and  she  clung  to  him,  unable 
to  say  more. 

"Yes,  yes,  so  I  did  —  so  I  did,"  cried  the  old 
gentleman  delightedly,  quite  happy  again,  and 
stroking  the  brown  hair.  "Well,  Polly,  my  girl, 
it  isn't  anything  to  the  good  times  we  are  always 
going  to  have.  And  to-morrow,  you  and  I  must 
go  down  to  see  after  poor  Jim's  family." 

'And  Jasper?"  cried  Polly,  poking  up  her 
head  from  old  Mr.  King's  protecting  arm;  "he 
must  go  too,  Grandpapa." 

"And  Jasper?  Why,  we  couldn't  do  any 
thing  without  him,  Polly,"  said  the  old  gentle 
man  in  such  a  tone  that  Jasper  threw  back  his 
head  very  proudly;  "of  course  my  boy  must  go 
too." 

And  the  next  day,  Pickering  Dodge,  who 
thought  he  had  some  sort  of  a  claim  on  Jasper 
for  the  afternoon,  came  running  up  the  steps, 
two  at  a  time.  And  he  looked  so  horribly  dis 
appointed,  that  old  Mr.  King  said,  "Why  don't 
you  take  him,  Jasper,  along  with  us?" 

Jasper,  who  would  have  much  preferred  to  go 


ALL  ABOUT    THE    POOR    BRAKEMAN     129 

alone  with  his  father  and  Polly,  swallowed  his 
vexation,  and  said,  "All  right;"  and  when  he 
saw  Pickering's  delight,  he  brightened  up,  and 
was  glad  it  all  happened  in  just  that  way  after 
all. 

"Now  see  here,"  said  old  Mr.  King  suddenly 
They  were  turning  out  of  Willow  Court,  after 
their  visit,  and  Thomas  had  a  sorry  time  of  it, 
managing  his  horses  successfully  about  the  old 
tin  cans  and  rubbish,  to  say  nothing  of  the  chil 
dren  who  were  congregated  in  the  narrow,  ill- 
smelling  court.  "Why  don't  you  boys  do  some 
thing  for  those  lads  in  there?"  pointing  back 
ward  to  the  little  run-down-at-the-hcel  house 
they  had  just  left. 

"We  boys?"  cried  Pickering  faintly.  "Oh 
dear  me!  Mr.  King,  we  can't  do  anything." 

"'Can't'  is  a  bad  word  to  use,"  said  the  old 
gentleman  gravely,  "and  I  didn't  mean  that  you 
all  alone  should  do  the  work.  But  get  the  other 
boys  interested.  I'm  sure  you  can  do  that. 
Phew!  Where  are  the  health  authorities,  I 
should  like  to  know,  to  let  such  abominations 
exist?  Thomas,  drive  as  fast  as  you  can,  and 
get  us  out  of  this  hole;  "  and  he  buried  his  aris 
tocratic  old  face  in  his  handkerchief. 


130     FIVE    LITTLE    PEPPERS   AT    SCHOOL 

Pickering  looked  over  at  Jasper  in  great  dis 
may. 

"We  might  have  our  club  take  it  up,"  said 
Jasper  slowly,  with  a  glance  at  Polly  for  help. 

"Yesj  why  don't  you,  Jasper?"  she  cried. 
"Now  that's  what  I'm  going  to  propose  that  our 
club  of  Salisbury  girls  shall  do.  We're  just  fin 
ishing  up  the  work  for  a  poor  Southern  family." 

"You've  had  a  bee,  haven't  you,"  asked  Pick 
ering,  "or  something  of  that  sort?  Although  I 
don't  really  suppose  you  do  much  work,"  he 
said  nonchalantly,  "only  laugh  and  play  and 
giggle,  generally." 

"Indeed  we  don't,  Pickering  Dodge,"  cried 
Polly  indignantly,  "laugh  and  play  and  giggle, 
the  very  idea!" 

"And  if  you  say  such  dreadful  things  I'll  pitch 
you  out  of  the  carriage,"  cried  Jasper  in  pre 
tended  wrath. 

"Ow!  I'll  be  good.  Take  off  your  nippers," 
cried  Pickering,  cringing  back  down  into  his 
corner  as  far  as  he  could.  " Goodness  me!  Jas 
per,  you're  a  perfect  old  tiger." 

"Take  care,  and  keep  your  tongue  in  its  place 
then,"  said  Jasper,  bursting  into  a  laugh. 

"And    we    work  —  oh,    just    dreadfully,"    de- 


ALL   ABOUT    THE   POOR   BRAKEMAN    131 

clared  Polly  with  her  most  positive  air.  "We 
cut  out  all  the  clothes  ourselves.  W?  don't  want 
our  mothers  to  do  it;  and  sew  —  oh  dear  me!" 

"You  ought  to  see  our  house  Oxi  club  day 
when  Polly  has  the  bee,"  said  Jasper.  "I  rather 
think  you'd  say  there  was  something  going  on 
for  those  poor  little  Southern  darkies." 

"Well,  I  don't  see  how  you  can  work  so  for  a 
lot  of  disgusting  pickaninnies,"  said  Pickering, 
stretching  his  long  figure  lazily.  "The  whole 
bunch  of  them  isri't  worth  one  good  solid  after 
noon  of  play." 

Polly  turned  a  cold  shoulder  to  him,  and  be 
gan  to  talk  with  Jasper  most  busily  about  the 
club  of  boys. 

"Yes,  and  oh,  Jasper,  let's  have  one  meeting 
of  all  you  boys  with  us  girls  —  the  two  clubs  to 
gether,"  she  cried  at  last,  waxing  quite  enthusiastic. 

"Yes,  let  us,"  cried  Jasper,  just  as  enthusi 
astic;  "and  oh,  Polly,  I've  thought  of  something. 
Let's  have  a  little  play  —  you  write  it." 

"Oh  Jasper,  I  can't,"  cried  Polly,  wrinkling  her 
brows. 

"Oh,  yes,  Polly,  you  can,"  cried  Jasper;  "if  it's 
one  half  as  good  as  'The  Three  Dragons  and 
the  Princess  Clotilde,'  it  will  be  just  fine." 


132     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"Well,"  said  Polly,  "I'll  try;  and  what  then, 
Jasper?" 

"Why,  we'll  give  it  for  money  —  father,  may 
we,  in  the  drawing-room?  And  perhaps  we'll 
make  quite  a  heap  to  help  those  boys  with.  Oh 
Polly!"  He  seized  both  of  her  hands  and  wrung 
them  tightly.  "Oh,  may  we,  father,  may  we?" 

"Eh  —  what's  that ?  Oh,  yes."  The  old  gen 
tleman  took  down  his  handkerchief.  "Dear  me! 
what  a  mercy  we  are  where  we  can  breathe!"  as 
Thomas  whirled  them  dexterously  past  a  small 
square.  "What  are  the  health  authorities  about, 
to  allow  such  atrocious  old  holes?  Oh,  yes,  my 
boy,  I'm  sure  I'd  be  delighted  to  have  you  help 
along  those  three  lads.  Arid  it's  really  work  for 
boys.  Polly's  going  to  start  up  something  for 
the  girl." 

"How  perfectly  fine!"  exclaimed  Jasper  and 
Polly  together,  now  that  the  consent  was  really 
gained.  Then  they  fell  into  such  a  merry  chatter 
that  Pickering,  left  out  in  the  cold,  began  to 
wriggle  dreadfully.  At  last  he  broke  out: 

"Yes,  I  think  it  would  be  fine  too,"  trying  to 
work  his  head  into  the  conference,  where  Polly 
and  Jasper  had  theirs  together  buzzing  over  the 
plans. 


ALL  ABOUT   THE   POOR   BRAKEMAN     133 

But  nobody  paid  him  the  slightest  attention; 
so  he  repeated  his  remark,  with  no  better  suc 
cess. 

"I  should  think  you  might  turn  around,"  at 
last  he  said  in  a  dudgeon,  "and  speak  to  a  body 
once  in  a  while." 

"Why  should  we?"  cried  Jasper  over  his 
shoulder.  "You  don't  think  it's  worth  while  to 
work  for  any  of  those  people.  No,  Polly,  we'll 
let  him  severely  alone."  Then  he  fell  to  talking 
again,  busier  than  ever. 

"Yes,  I  do,"  cried  Pickering  in  a  high,  wrath 
ful  key,  "think  it's  worth  while  too,  so  there, 
Jasper  King!  " 

"Oh,  he  does,  I  do  believe,  Jasper,"  cried 
Polly,  looking  at  Pickering's  face. 

"Why,  of  course  I  do,"  said  Pickering. 

"And  so  we  must  let  him  into  the  plans."  So 
Polly  turned  around  to  draw  Pickering  in,  and 
old  Mr.  King  leaned  forward  in  his  seat,  and  the 
committee  of  ways  and  means  got  so  very  busy 
that  they  didn't  even  know  when  Thomas  turned 
in  at  the  big  stone  gateway,  until  Polly  looked  up 
and  screamed  out,  "Why,  we  are  home!  Why, 
we  can't  be!" 

"Well,  we  are,  Polly,  my  child,"  said  old  Mr. 


134     FIVE    LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

King,  getting  out  to  help  her  with  his  courtliest 
air.  "We've  been  gone  just  three  hours  and  a 
half,  and  a  very  good  afternoon's  work  it  is  too. 
For  Jim's  children  will  care  twice  as  much  for 
what  you  young  folks  are  going  to  do  for  them 
as  for  anything  I  may  do.  Yes,  Polly,  they 
will,"  as  he  saw  her  face.  "And  I'm  sure  if  I 
were  in  their  places,  I'd  feel  just  the  same  way." 


X    JOEL   AND  HIS   DOG 

"  1V~]~OW,  children,"  hummed  Phronsie,  pausing 

-JL  ll  in  the  midst  of  combing  her  doll's  flaxen 
hair,  "you  must  keep  still,  and  be  very  good; 
then  I'll  get  through  pretty  soon,"  and  she  bowed 
to  the  several  members  of  her  'lumerous  family 
set  up  in  a  row  before  her,  who  were  awaiting 
their  turn  for  the  same  attention.  Then  she  took 
up  the  little  comb  which  had  dropped  to  her  lap, 
and  set  nerself  busily  to  her  task  again. 

Alexia  looked  in  at  the  door  of  the  "  baby- 
house,"  as  Phronsie's  little  room  devoted  to 
her  family  of  dolls,  was  called.  "Oh  my  good 
ness  me!"  she  exclaimed,  "don't  you  ever  get 
tired  of  everlastingly  dressing  those  dolls,  Phron 
sie?" 

Phronsie  gave  a  sigh,  and  went  patiently  on 
with  her  work.  "Yes,  Alexia,  I'm  tired  some 
times;  but  I'm  their  mother,  you  see." 

"And  to  comb  their  hair!"  went  on  Alexia, 
"Oh  dear  me!  I  never  could  do  it  in  aF  this 
135 


136    FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

world,  Phronsie.     I  should  want  to  run  and  throw 

them  all  out  of  the  window." 

'^h  Alexia!"  exclaimed  Phronsie  in    horror, 

"  throw  them  all  out  of  the  window !     You  couldn't 

do  that,  Alexia."     She  tightened  her   grasp  on 

the  doll  in  her  arms. 

"Yes,   I  should  want  to  throw  every  one  of 

those  dreadful  dolls  out  of  the  window,  Phronsie 

Pepper!"  declared  Alexia  recklessly. 

"But   they  are   my  children,"   said   Phronsie 

very  soberly,  trying  to  get  all  the  others  waiting 

for  their  hair  to  be  fixed,  into  her  arms  too,  "and 
dear  Grandpapa  gave  them  to  me,  and  I  love 
them,  every  single  one." 

"Well,  now,  you  see,  Phronsie,"  said  Alexia, 
getting  down  on  the  floor  in  front  of  the  doll's 
bureau,  by  Phronsie's  side,  "you  could  come  out 
with  me  on  the  piazza  and  walk  around  a  bit  if 
it  were  not  for  these  dreadfully  tiresome  dolls; 
and  Polly  is  at  school,  and  you  are  through  with 
your  lessons  in  Mr.  King's  room.  Now  how  nice 
that  would  be,  oh  dear  me!"  Alexia  gave  a  rest 
ful  stretch  to  her  long  figure.  "  My ! "  at  a  twinge 
of  pain. 

"Does  your  arm  hurt  you,  Alexia?"  asked 
Phronsie,  looking  over  her  dolls  up  to  Alexia's  face. 


JOEL   AND   HIS   DOG  137 

"Um  —  maybe,"  said  Alexia,  nursing  her  arm 
hanging  in  the  sling;  "it's  a  bad,  horrid  old 
thing,  and  I'd  like  to  thump  it." 

"Oh,  don't,  Alexia,"  begged  Phronsie,  "that 
will  make  it  worse.  Please  don't,  Alexia,  do  any 
thing  to  it."  Then  she  got  up,  and  went  over 
with  her  armful  of  doUs  to  the  sofa,  nnd  laid 
them  down  carefully  in  a  row.  "I'll  fix  your 
hair  to-morrow,  children,"  she  said;  "now  I'm 
going  away  for  a  little  bit  of  a  minute,"  and 
came  back.  "Let's  go  down  to  the  piazza,"  she 
said,  holding  out  her  hand. 

"You  blessed  child,  you!"  exclaimed  Alexia, 
seizing  her  with  the  well  hand,  "did  you  suppose 
I'd  be  such  a  selfish  old  pig  as  to  drag  you  off 
from  those  children  of  yours?" 

"You  are  not  a  selfish  old  pig,  Alexia,  and  I 
like  you  very  much,"  said  Phronsie  gravely,  try 
ing  not  to  hit  the  arm  in  the  sling,  while  Alexia 
flew  up  to  her  feet  and  whirled  around  the  room 
with  her.  "And,  oh,  I'm  so  afraid  you'll  make 
it  sick,"  she  panted.  "Do  stop." 

"I  just  can't,  Phronsie,"  said  Alexia;  "I  shall 
die  if  I  don't  do  something!  Oh,  this  horrid  old 
arm!"  arid  she  came  to  a  sudden  standstill, 
Phronsie  struggling  away  to  a  safe  distance. 


138    FIVE    LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"Papa  Fisher  would  not  like  it,  Alexia,"  she 
said  in  great  disapproval,  her  hair  blown  about 
her  face,  and  her  cheeks  quite  pink. 

"Oh  dear  me!"  Alexia,  resting  the  sling  in 
the  other  palm,  and  trying  not  to  scream  with 
the  pain,  burst  out,  "It's  so  tiresome  to  be  al 
ways  thinking  .hat  some  one  won't  like  things  one 
does.  Phronsie,  there's  no  use  in  my  trying  to 
be  good,  because,  you  see,  I  never  could  be.  I 
just  love  to  do  bad  things." 

"Oh  no,  Alexia,"  said  Phronsie  greatly  shocked, 
"you  don't  love  to  do  bad  things.  Please  say 
you  don't;"  and  before  Alexia  could  say  another 
word,  the  tears  poured  down  the  round  cheeks, 
wetting  Phronsie's  pinafore.  And  although  she 
clasped  her  hands  and  tried  to  stop  them,  it  was 
no  use. 

"There  now,  you  see,"  cried  Alexia,  quite  gone 
in  remorse.  "Oh,  what  shall  I  do?  I  must  go 
and  get  Mrs.  Fisher,"  and  she  rushed  out  of  the 
room. 

Phronsie  ran  unsteadily  after  her,  to  call,  "Oh 
Alexia!"  in  such  distress  that  the  flying  feet 
turned,  and  up  she  came  again. 

"What  is  it,  Pet?"  she  cried.  "Oh  dear  me! 
What  shall  I  do  ?  I  must  tell  your  mother." 


JOEL    AND   HIS   DOG  139 

""I  will  stop,"  said  Phronsie,  struggling  hard 
with  her  tears,  "if  you  only  won't  tell  Mamsie," 
and  she  wiped  her  cheeks  hard  with  her  pinafore. 
"There,  see,  Alexia,"  and  tried  to  smile. 

'Well,  n^w,  come  back."  Alexia  seized  her 
hand,  and  dragged  her  up  the  stairs.  "Now  I'm 
just  going  to  stay  up  here  with  you,  if  you'll  let 
me,  Phronsie,  and  try  not  to  do  bad  things.  I 
do  so  want  to  be  good  like  Polly.  You  can't 
think  how  I  want  to,"  she  cried  in  a  gust,  as 
she  threw  herself  down  on  the  floor  again. 

"Oh  Alexia,  you  never  could  be  good  like 
Polly,"  said  Phronsie,  standing  quite  still  in 
astonishment. 

"Of  course  not,"  said  Alexia  wfth  a  little 
laugh,  "but  I  mean  —  oh,  you  know  what  I 
mean,  Phronsie.  I  want  to  be  good  so  that 
Polly  will  say  she  likes  it.  Well,  come  on 
now,  get  your  horrible  old  —  I  mean,  your  dolls, 
and—" 

"I  wish  very  much  you  wouldn't  call  them 
dolls,  Alexia,"  said  Phronsie,  not  offering  to  sit 
down;  "they  are  my  children,  and  I  don't  think 
they  like  to  be  called  anything  else." 

"Well,  they  sha'n't  hear  it,  then,"  declared 
Alexia  decidedly,  "so  get  some  of  them,  and 


140     FIVE    LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

brush  their  hair,  just  as  you  were  doing  when  I 
came  in,  and  I'm  going  to  read  aloud  to  you  out 
of  one  of  your  books,  Phronsie." 

"Oh  —  oh!"  Phronsie  clapped  her  hands  in 
glee.  Next  to  Polly's  stories,  which  of  course 
she  couldn't  have  now  as  Polly  was  at  school, 
Phronsie  dearly  loved  to  be  read  to  But  she 
suddenly  grew  very  sober  again. 

"Are  you  sure  you  will  like  it,  Alexia?"  she 
asked,  coming  up  to  peer  into  Alexia's  face. 

"Yes,  yes,  Pet,  to  be  sure  I  will,"  cried  Alexia, 
seizing  her  to  half  smother  her  with  kisses. 
"Why,  Phronsie,  it  will  make  me  very  happy 
indeed." 

"Well,  if  it  will  really  make  you  happy,  Alexia," 
said  Phronsie,  smoothing  down  her  pinafore  in 
great  satisfaction,  "I  will  get  my  children-"  And 
she  ran  over  to  the  sofa,  and  came  back  with  an 
armfuL 

"Now  what  book?"  asked  Alexia,  forgetting 
whether  her  arm  ached  or  not,  and  flying  to  her 
feet.  "I'm  going  down  to  your  bookshelf  to 
get  it." 

"Oh  Alexia,"  cried  Phronsie  in  great  excite 
ment,  "will  you  —  could  you  get  'The  Little 
Yellow  Duck'?" 


JOEL    AND    HIS    DOG  141 

As  this  was  the  book  Phronsie  invariably  chose 
when  asked  what  she  wanted  read,  Alexia  laughed 
and  spun  off,  perfectly  astonished  to  find  that  the 
world  was  not  all  as  blue  as  an  indigo  bag.  And 
when  she  came  back  two  steps  at  a  time  up  the 
stairs,  Phronsie  was  smiling  away,  and  humming 
softly  to  herself,  while  the  hair-brushing  was 
going  on. 

"She  had  a  blue  ribbon  on  yesterday  —  Al- 
mira  did,"  said  Phronsie,  reflecting.  "Now, 
wouldn't  you  put  on  a  pink  one  to-day,  Alexia?" 

"I  surely  should,"  decided  Alexia  — "that 
pretty  pale  pink  one  that  Polly  gave  you  last, 
Phronsie." 

"I  am  so  very  glad  you  said  that  one,"  said 
Phronsie,  running  over  on  happy  feet  for  her 
ribbon-basket,  "because  I  do  love  that  ribbon 
very  much,  Alexia." 

"Well,  now  then,"  said  Alexia,  as  Phronsie 
began  to  tie  up  the  pink  bow  laboriously,  "we 
must  hurry  and  begin,  or  we  never  shall  see 
what  happened  to  this  'Little  Yellow  Duck.'  " 

"Oh,  do  hurry,  Alexia,"  begged  Phronsie,  as 
if  she  hadn't  heard  the  story  on  an  average  of 
half  a  dozen  times  a  week.  So  Alexia  propped 
herself  up  against  the  wall,  and  began,  and  pres- 


142     FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

ently  it  was  so  still  that  all  any  one  could  hear 
was  the  turning  of  the  leaves  and  the  ticking  of 
the  little  French  clock  on  the  mantel. 

"Well,  dear  me,  how  funny!"  and  Polly  rushed 
in;  then  burst  into  a  merry  laugh. 

"Polly  Pepper  —  you  home!"  Alexia  tossed 
"The  Little  Yellow  Duck"  half  across  the  room, 
flew  to  her  feet  again,  and  spun  Polly  round  and 
round  with  her  well  hand. 

"Yes,"  said  Polly,  "I  am,  and  I've  been  search 
ing  for  you  two  all  over  this  house." 

"Take  me,  Polly,  do."  Phronsie  laid  down 
Almira  carefully  on  the  carpet,  and  hurried  over 
to  Polly. 

"I  guess  I  will.  Now  then,  all  together!"  and 
the  three  spun  off  until  out  of  breath. 

"Oh  dear  me!"  Polly  stopped  suddenly.  "I 
never  thought  of  your  arm,  Alexia.  Oh,  do  you 
suppose  we've  hurt  it?"  It  was  so  very  dreadful 
to  think  of,  that  all  the  color  deserted  her  cheek. 

"Nonsense,  no!"  declared  Alexia,  "that  spin 
put  new  life  into  me,  Polly." 

"Well,  I  don't  know,"  said  Polly  critically; 
"at  any  rate,  we  mustn't  do  it  any  more.  And 
we  must  tell  Papa- Doctor  about  it  as  soon  as  he 
gets  home." 


JOEL    AND    HIS    DOG  143 

"Oh,  what  good  is  it  to  worry  him?"  cried 
Alexia  carelessly.  "Well,  Polly,  tell  all  the  news 
about  school,"  as  they  hurried  downstairs  to  get 
ready  for  luncheon. 

"We  must  tell  Papa- Doctor  everything  about 
it,  Alexia,"  said  Polly  in  her  most  decided  fash 
ion,  putting  her  arm  carefully  around  Alexia's 
waist;  and  \vith  Phronsie  hanging  to  the  other 
hand,  down  they  went,  Polly  retailing  the  last  bit 
of  school  news  fresh  that  day. 

"And,  oh,  Alexia,  Miss  Salisbury  said  we  are 
not  to  have  the  picnic  until  you  get  quite  well; 
she  said  so  in  the  big  schoolroom,  before  us 
all." 

"Did  she,  Polly?"  cried  Alexia,  immensely 
gratified. 

"Yes,  she  did."  Polly  stood  on  her  tiptoes  at 
the  imminent  danger  of  going  on  her  nose,  and 
pulling  the  other's  down,  to  get  a  kiss  on  the  long 
sallow  cheek.  "  She  said  it  very  distinctly,  Alexia, 
and  all  the  girls  talked  about  it  afterward." 

"Well,  she's  a  dear  old  thing,"  exclaimed 
Alexia,  with  remorseful  little  pangs  at  the  mem 
ory  of  certain  episodes  at  the  "Salisbury  School," 
"and  I  shall  try  —  oh,  Polly,  I'll  try  so  hard  to 
be  nice  and  please  her." 


144     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

Polly  gave  her  two  or  three  little  pats  on  her 
back. 

"And  don't  you  think,"  cried  Polly,  flying  off 
to  brush  her  hair,  and  calling  back  throjgh  the 
open  door,  "that  the  boys  are  going  to  have 
their  club  meet  with  ours.  Just  think  of  that  ! " 

"Oh  Polly!"  Alexia  came  flying  in,  brush  in 
hand.  "You  don't  really  mean  it  I" 

"I  do.  Jasper  just  told  me  so.  Well,  hurry, 
Alexia,  else  we'll  be  late,"  warned  Polly,  brush 
ing  away  vigorously.  "Yes,  Phronsie,"  —  for 
Phronsie  had  gone  off  for  Jane  to  put  on  a  clean 
apron,  —  "we're  ready  now  —  that  is,  almost." 

"When  — when?"  Polly  could  hear  Alexia 
frantically  asking,  as  she  rushed  back  into  her 
room,  which  was  next  to  Polly's  own. 

"Oh,  just  as  soon  as  you  are  able,"  called 
Polly.  "Now  don't  ask  any  more  questions, 
Alexia,"  she  begged  merrily.  "Yes,  Mamsie, 
we're  coming!" 

That  afternoon,  Percy  and  Joel  were  rushing 
back  to  school  from  an  errand  down  to  the  vil 
lage,  and  hurrying  along  with  an  awful  feeling 
that  the  half-past-five  bell  in  the  big  tower  on 
the  playground  would  strike  in  a  minute. 


JOEL    AND    HIS    DOG  145 

"Hold  on,"  called  Percy,  considerably  in  the 
rear;  "how  you  get  over  the  ground,  Joe!  " 

"And  you're  such  a  snail,"  observed  Joel 
pleasantly.  Nevertheless  he  paused. 

"What's  that?"  pricking  up  his  ears. 

"I  don't  hear  anything."  Percy  came  up 
panting. 

"Of  course  not,  when  you're  puffing  like  a 
grampus." 

"What's  a  grampus?"  asked  Percy  irritably. 

"I  don't  know,"  said  Joel  honestly. 

:'Well,  I  wouldn't  say  words  I  didn't  know 
what  they  meant,"  said  Percy  in  a  patronizing 
tone,  and  trying  not  to  realize  that  he  was  very 
hot. 

"Well,  do  keep  still,  will  you!"  roared  Joel. 
"There,  there  it  is  again."  He  stooped  down, 
and  peered  within  a  hedge.  "Something's  cry 
ing  in  here." 

"You'll  get  your  eyes  scratched  out,  most 
likely,  by  an  old,  cross  cat,"  suggested  Percy. 

Joel,  who  cared  very  little  for  that  or  any 
warning,  was  now  on  his  knees.  "  Oh  whickers!" 
he  exclaimed,  dragging  out  a  small  yellow  dog, 
who,  instead  of  struggling,  wormed  himself  all 
up  against  his  rescuer,  whining  pitifully. 


146     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"He's  hurt,"  declared  Joel,  tossing  back  his 
stubby  locks,  and  patting  the  dog,  who  stopped 
whining,  and  licked  him  all  over,  as  much  of  his 
face  and  hands  as  he  could  reach. 

"Oh,  that  dirty  thing  —  faugh!  How  can  you, 
Joel  Pepper!"  cried  Percy  in  distress. 

But  Joel  didn't  even  hear  him,  being  occupied 
in  setting  the  dog  on  the  ground  to  try  his  paces. 

"No,  he's  not  hurt,  after  all,  I  guess,"  he  de 
cided,  "but  look  at  his  ribs,  —  he's  half  starved." 

"I  don't  want  to  look  at  them,"  said  Percy, 
turning  his  back,  "and  you  ought  to  let  him 
alone;  that  bell  will  ring  in  half  a  second,  Joel 
Pepper!" 

"True  enough!"  cried  Joel.  "Come  on, 
Perky,"  this  being  the  school  name  of  the  older 
Whitney,  and  he  picked  up  the  dog,  and  shot  off. 

"What  are  you  going  to  do  with  that  dog?" 
yelled  Percy  after  him.  But  as  well  talk  to  the 
wind,  as  Joel  arrived  hot  and  breathless  at  the 
big  door  long  before  him. 

Luckily  for  him,  none  of  the  boys  were  about; 
and  Joel,  cramming  the  dog  well  under  his 
jacket,  plunged  up  the  stairs,  and  down  the  hall 
to  his  room. 

"Joe!"   roared   two   or   three   voices;   but   he 


JOEL   AND    HIS    DOG  147 

turned  a  deaf  ear,  and  got  in  safely;  slammed  to 
the  door,  and  then  drew  a  long  breath. 

u  Whew  I  Almost  caught  that  time,"  was  all 
he  had  the  wind  to  say.  "Well,  now,  it's  good 
Dave  isn't  in,  'cause  I  can  tell  him  slowly,  and 
get  him  used  to  it."  All  this  time  he  was  draw 
ing  out  his  dog  from  its  place  of  refuge,  and  put 
ting  it  first  on  the  bed,  then  on  the  floor,  to  study 
it  better. 

It  certainly  was  as  far  removed  from  being 
even  a  good-looking  dog  as  possible.  Having 
never  in  its  life  had  the  good  fortune  to  hear  its 
pedigree  spoken  of,  it  was  simply  an  ill-favored 
cur  that  looked  as  if  it  had  exchanged  the 
back  yard  of  a  tenement  house  for  the  greater 
dangers  of  the  open  street.  Its  yellow  neck  was 
marked  where  a  cruel  cord  had  almost  worn  into 
the  flesh,  and  every  one  of  its  ribs  stuck  out  as 
Joel  had  said,  till  they  insisted  on  being  counted 
by  a  strict  observer. 

Joel  threw  his  arms  around  the  beast.  "Oh 
dear!"  he  groaned,  "you're  starved  to  death. 
What  have  I  got  to  give  you?"  He  wrinkled  his 
forehead  in  great  distress.  "Oh  goody!"  He 
snatched  the  dog  up,  and  bore  him  to  the  closet, 
then  pulled  down  a  box  from  the  shelf  above. 


148     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"Mamsie's  cake  —  how  prime!"  And  not  stop- 
ping  to  cut  a  piece,  he  broke  off  a  goodly  wedge. 
"Now  then,  get  in  with  you,"  and  he  thrust  him 
deep  into  one  corner,  cramming  the  cake  up  to 
his  nose.  "Stay  there  on  my  side,  and  don't 
get  over  on  Dave's  shoes.  Wheel" 

The  dog,  in  seizing  the  cake,  had  taken  Joel's 
thumb  as  well. 

"Let  go  there,"  cried  Joel;  "well,  you  can't 
swallow  my  thumb,"  as  the  cake  disappeared  in 
one  lump;  and  he  gave  a  sigh  for  the  plums 
with  which  Mamsie  always  liberally  supplied  the 
school  cakes,  now  disappearing  so  fast,  as  much 
as  for  the  nip  he  had  received. 

The  dog  turned  his  black,  beady  eyes  sharply 
for  more  cake.  When  he  saw  that  it  wasn't 
coming,  he  1'cked  Joel's  thumb;  and  in  his 
cramped  quarters  on  top  of  a  heap  of  shoes  and 
various  other  things  not  exactly  classified,  he 
tried  hard  to  wag  his  stump  of  a  tail. 

"Whickets!  there  goes  that  bell!  Now  see 
here,  don't  you  dare  to  stir  for  your  lifel  You've 
got  to  stay  in  this  closet  till  to-morrow  —  then 
I'll  see  what  to  do  for  you.  Lie  down,  I  tell 
you." 

There  was  a  small  scuffle;  and  then  the  dog, 


JOEL   AND    HIS    DOG  149 

realizing  here  was  a  master,  curled  himself  or. 
top  of  some  tennis  shoes,  and  looked  as  if  he  held 
his  breath. 

"All  right,"  said  Joel,  with  an  approving  pat. 
"Now  don't  you  yip,  even  if  D  ve  opens  this 
door."  Then  he  shut  it  carefully,  and  rushed 
oft"  down  to  the  long  dining-room  to  the  crowd  of 
boys. 

Joel  ate  his  supper  as  rapidly  as  possible,  lost 
to  the  chatter  going  on  around  him.  He  im 
agined,  in  his  feverishness,  that  he  heard  faint 
"yaps"  every  now  and  then;  and  he  almost  ex 
pected  to  see  everybody  lay  down  knife  and  fork. 

"What's  the  matter  with  you?"  He  was 
aroused  by  seeing  the  boy  next  to  him  lean  for 
ward  to  peer  into  his  face.  And  in  a  minute  he 
was  conscious  that  on  the  other  side  he  was  just 
as  much  of  an  object  of  attention.  He  buried 
his  face  in  his  glass  of  milk;  but  when  he  took  it 
out,  they  were  staring  still  the  same. 

"Ugh!  stop  your  looking  at  me,"  growled  Joel. 

"What's  the  matter  with  you,  anyway?"  asked 
the  other  boy. 

"Get  away  —  nothing,"  said  Joel  crossly,  and 
bestowing  as  much  of  a  kick  as  he  dared  on  the 
other  boy's  shin. 


150     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"Ow!    There  is  too." 

"You're  awfully  funny,"  said  the  first  boy, 
"you  naven't  spoken  a  word  since  you  sat  down." 

"Well,  I  ain't  going  to  talk,  if  I  don't  want 
to,"  declared  Joel.  "Do  stop,  Fletcher;  every 
body's  looking." 

But  Fletcher  wouldn't  stop,  and  Joel  had  the 
satisfaction  of  seeing  the  whole  table,  with  the 
under-teacher,  Mr.  Harrow,  at  the  head,  mak 
ing  him,  between  their  mouthfuls,  the  centre 
of  observation.  The  only  alleviation  of  this 
misery  was  that  Percy  was  at  another  table,  and 
with  his  back  to  him. 

David  looked  across  in  a  worried  way.  "Are 
you  sick,  Joe?"  he  asked. 

"No."  Joel  laughed,  and  began  to  eat  busily. 
When  he  saw  that,  David  gave  a  sigh  of  relief. 

Mr.  Harrow  was  telling  something  just  then 
that  seemed  of  more  than  common  interest,  and 
the  boys,  hearing  Joel  laugh  once  more,  turned 
off  to  listen.  "Yes,"  said  the  under-teacher,  "if 
was  a  dog  that  was  — " 

"Ugh!"  cried  Joel.  "Oh,  beg  pardon,"' and 
his  face  grew  dreadfully  red,  as  he  tried  to  get 
as  small  as  possible  on  his  chair. 

"It's  a  clog  I  used  to  own,  Joel,"  said  Mr. 


JOEL    AND    HIS    DOG  151 

Harrow,  smiling  at  him.  "And  I  taught  him 
tricks,  several  quite  remarkable  ones." 

"Yes,  sir,"  mumbled  Joel,  taking  a  big  bite  of 
his  biscuit;  and  for  the  next  quarter  of  an  hour 
he  was  safe,  as  the  funny  stories  lasted  till  back 
went  the  chairs,  and  the  evening  meal  was  over. 

To  say  that  Joel's  life  was  an  easy  one  till  bed 
time,  would  be  very  far  from  the  truth.  Strange 
to  say,  David  did  not  go  to  the  closet  once.  To 
be  sure,  there  was  a  narrow  escape  that  made 
Joel's  heart  leap  to  his  mouth. 

"Let's  have  Mamsie's  cake,  Joe,  to-night," 
said  David  in  an  aside  to  him.  The  room  was 
full  of  boys;  it  was  just  before  study  hour,  and 
how  to  tell  David  of  the  dog,  was  racking  Joe's 
powers  of  mind. 

"Ugh!  —  no,  not  to-nig1^.  Dave."  He  was  so 
very  decided  that  although  David  was  puzzled  at 
his  manner,  he  gave  it  up  without  a  question. 
And  then  came  study  hour  when  all  the  boys 
must  be  down  in  "Long  Hall,"  and  Joel  lingered 
behind  the  others.  "I'll  be  down  in  a  minute." 
He  flew  over  to  the  closet,  broke  off  another  gen 
erous  wedge  of  Mamsie's  cake,  stifling  a  second 
sigh  as  he  thought  of  the  plums.  "You  haven't 
eaten  my  half  yet,"  he  said  as  the  dog  swallowed 


152     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

it  whole  without  winking.  "Keep  still  now." 
He  slammed  to  the  door  again,  and  was  off,  his 
books  under  his  arm. 

And  after  the  two  boys  went  up  to  bed,  David 
was  too  tired  and  sleepy  to  talk,  and  hopped 
into  his  bed  so  quickly  that  long  before  Joel  was 
undressed  he  was  off  to  dreamland. 

"That's  good,  — now  I  haven't  got  to  tell  him 
till  morning."  Joel  went  over  to  the  other  bed 
in  the  corner,  and  listened  to  the  regular  breath 
ing,  then  tiptoed  softly  off  to  the  closet,  first 
putting  out  the  light.  "I  know  what  I'm  going 
to  do."  He  got  down  on  all-fours,  and  put  his 
hand  out  softly  over  the  pile  of  shoes,  till  he  felt 
the  dog's  mangy  back.  "I'm  going  to  take  you 
in  my  bed;  you'll  smother  in  here.  Now,  sir!" 
The  dog  was  ready  r*'  mgh  to  be  quiet,  only  oc 
cupied  in  licking  Joel's  hands.  So  Joel  jumped 
into  his  bed,  carrying  his  charge,  and  huddled 
down  under  the  clothes. 

After  being  quite  sure  that  he  was  really  to 
remain  in  this  paradise,  the  dog  began  to  turn 
around  and  around  to  find  exactly  the  best  po 
sition  in  which  to  settle  down  for  the  night. 
This  took  him  so  long,  interrupted  as  the  process 
was  with  so  many  lickings  of  Joel's  brown  face, 


JOEL    AND    HIS    DOG  153 

that  it  looked  as  if  neither  would  get  very  much 
sleep  that  night;  Joel,  not  averse  to  this  lengthy 
operation,  hugging  his  dog  and  patting  him,  to 
his  complete  demoralization  just  as  he  was 
about  to  quiet  down. 

At  last  even  Joel  was  tired,  and  his  eyes  drooped. 
"Now  go  to  sleep"  -with  a  final  pat  —  "I'm 
going  to  call  you  Sinbad."  Joel,  having  always 
been  mightily  taken  with  Sinbad  the  Sailor,  felt 
that  no  other  name  could  be  quite  good  enough 
for  his  new  treasure.  And  Sinbad,  realizing  that 
a  call  to  repose  had  actually  been  given,  curled 
up,  in  as  round  a  ball  as  he  could,  under  Joel's 
chin,  and  both  were  soon  sound  asleep. 

It  was  near  the  middle  of  the  night.  Joel  had 
been  dreaming  of  his  old  menagerie  and  circus  he 
had  once  in  the  little  brown  house,  in  which  there 
were  not  only  trained  dogs  who  could  do  the  most 
wonderful  things,  —  strange  to  say,  now  they  were 
all  of  them  yellow,  and  had  stumpy  tails,  —  but 
animals  and  reptiles  of  the  most  delightful  variety, 
never  seen  in  any  other  show  on  earth;  when  a 
noise,  that  at  once  suggested  a  boy  screaming 
"Ow!"  struck  upon  his  ear,  and  brought  him 
bolt  upright  in  his  bed.  He  pawed  wildly  around, 
but  Sinbad  was  nowhere  to  be  found. 


XI    THE    UNITED    CLUBS 

THE  whole  dormitory  was  in  an  uproar. 
" Owl  help  —  help!"  Mr.  Harrow,  hav 
ing  gone  out  after  dinner,  had  retired  late,  and 
was  now  sound  asleep,  so  another  instructor 
scaled  the  stairs,  getting  there  long  before  Mrs. 
Fox,  the  matron,  could  put  in  an  appearance. 

In  the  babel,  it  was  somewhat  difficult  to  locate 
the  boy  who  had  screamed  out.  At  last,  "In 
there,  Farnham's  room,"  cried  several  voices  at 
once. 

"  Nightmare,  I  suppose,"  said  the  instructor  to 
himself,  dashing  in. 

But  it  was  a  real  thing  he  soon  saw,  as  a  knot 
of  boys  huddled  around  the  bed,  where  the  ter 
rified  occupant  still  sat,  drawing  up  his  knees  to 
his  chin,  and  screaming  all  sorts  of  things,  in 
which  "wild  beast"  and  "cold  nose"  was  all 
that  could  be  distinguished. 

"Stop  this  noise!"  commanded  the  instructor, 
who  had  none  of  Mr.  Harrow's  pleasant  but  de- 


THE   UNITED    CLUBS  155 

cided  ways  for  quelling  an  incipient  riot.  So 
they  bawled  on,  the  boy  in  bed  yelling  that  he 
wouldn't  be  left  alone. 

Just  then  something  skimmed  out  from  the 
corner;  the  boys  flew  to  one  side,  showing  a  ten 
dency  to  find  the  door.  Even  the  instructor 
jumped.  Then  he  bethought  himself  to  light  the 
gas,  which  brought  out  the  fact  that  there  cer 
tainly  was  an  animal  in  the  room,  as  they  could 
hear  it  now  under  the  bed. 

"Boys,  be  quiet.  Mrs.  Fox's  cat  has  got  up 
here,  probably,"  said  the  instructor.  But  the 
boy  in  the  bed  protested  that  it  wasn't  a  cat 
that  had  waked  him  up  by  thrusting  a  cold  nose 
in  his  face,  and  jumping  on  top  of  him.  And 
he  huddled  worse  than  ever  now  that  it  was 
under  him;  yet  afraid  to  step  out  on  the  floor. 

Even  the  instructor  did  not  offer  to  look  under 
the  bed,  when  Joel  Pepper  rushed  in,  his  black 
eyes  gleaming.  "Oh,  it's  my  dog!"  he  cried. 

"It's  Joe  Pepper's  dog!"  cried  the  whole  room 
ful,  nearly  tumbling  over  each  other. 

"And  when  did  you  begin  to  keep  a  dog,  Joel 
Pepper?"  hurled  the  instructor  at  him,  too  angry 
for  anything,  that  he  hadn't  impressed  the  boys 
with  his  courage. 


156     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

But  Joel  was  occupied  in  ramming  his  body 
under  the  bed  as  far  as  possible.  "Here,  Sin- 
bad,"  and  he  presently  emerged  with  a  very  red 
face,  and  Sinbad  safely  in  his  arms,  who  seemed 
perfectly  delighted  to  get  into  his  old  refuge 
again.  David  had  now  joined  the  group,  as 
much  aghast  as  every  other  spectator, 

"Do  you  hear  me,  Joel  Pepper?"  thundered 
the  instructor  again.  "When  did  you  get  that 
dog?"  This  brought  Joel  to, 

"Oh,  I  haven't  had  him  long,  sir,"  he  said, 
and  trembling  for  Sinbad,  as  he  felt  in  every 
fibre  of  his  being  that  the  beast's  fate  was  sealed, 
unless  he  could  win  over  the  irritated  teacher. 
"  He's  a  poor  dog  I  —  I  found,  sir,"  wishing  he 
could  think  of  the  right  words,  and  knowing  that 
every  word  he  uttered  only  made  matters  worse. 

"David,"  cried  the  instructor,  catching  Davie's 
eye,  down  by  the  door,  "do  you  know  anything 
about  this  dog?" 

"No,  sir,"  said  David,  all  in  a  tremble,  and 
wishing  he  could  say  something  to  help  Joel  out. 

"Well,  now,  you  wait  a  minute."  The  in 
structor,  feeling  that  here  was  a  chance  to  im 
press  the  boys  with  his  executive  ability,  looked 
about  over  the  table  where  Farnham's  school- 


THE    UNITED    CLUBS  557 

books  were  thrown.  "Got  a  bit  of  string?  No 
—  oh,  yes."  He  pounced  on  a  piece,  and  came 
over  to  Joel  and  the  dog. 

"What  are  you  going  to  do,  sir?"  Joel  hung 
to  Sinbad  with  a  tighter  grip  than  ever. 

"Never  mind;  it's  not  for  you  to  question  me," 
said  the  instructor,  with  great  authority. 

But  Joel  edged  away.  Visions  of  being  ex 
pelled  from  Dr.  Marks'  school  swam  before  his 
eyes,  and  he  turned  very  white. 

David  plunged  through  the  crowd  of  boys, 
absolutely  still  with  the  excitement.  "Oh  Joel," 
he  begged  hoarsely,  "let  Mr.  Parr  do  as  he 
wants  to.  Mamsie  would  say  so." 

Joel  turned  at  that.  "Don't  hurt  him,"  he 
begged.  "Don't,  please,  Mr.  Parr." 

"I  shall  not  hurt  him,"  said  Mr.  Parr,  putting 
the  cord  about  the  dog's  neck,  and  holding  the 
other  end,  after  it  was  knotted  fast.  "I  am 
going  to  tie  him  in  the  area  till  morning.  Here 
you,  sir,"  as  Sinbad  showed  lively  intentions 
toward  his  captor's  legs,  with  a  backward  glance 
at  his  late  master. 

"  Oh,  if  you'll  let  me  keep  him  in  my  room,  Mr. 
Parr,"  cried  Joel,  tumbling  over  to  the  instructor, 
who  was  executing  a  series  of  remarkable  steps 


158     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS   AT    SCHOOL 

as  he  dragged  Sinbad  off,  "I'll  —  I'll  be  just  as 
good  —  just  till  the  morning,  sir.  Oh,  please, 
Mr.  Parr  —  I'll  study,  and  get  my  lessons  better, 
I  truly  will,"  cried  poor  Joel,  unable  to  promise 
anything  more  difficult  of  performance. 

"You'll  have  to  study  better  anyway,  Joel 
Pepper,"  said  Mr.  Parr  grimly,  as  he  and  Sin- 
bad  disappeared  down  the  stairway.  "Every 
boy  get  back  to  his  room,"  was  the  parting 
command. 

No  need  to  tell  Joel.  He  dashed  through  the 
ranks,  and  flung  himself  into  his  bed,  dragged 
up  the  clothes  well  over  his  stubby  head,  and 
cried  as  if  his  heart  would  break. 

"Joel  —  Joel  —  oh,  Joey!"  begged  David 
hoarsely,  and  running  to  precipitate  himself  by 
his  side.  But  Joel  only  burrowed  deeper  and 
sobbed  on. 

And  Davie,  trying  to  keep  awake,  to  give  pos 
sible  comfort,  at  last  tumbled  asleep,  when  Joel 
with  a  flood  of  fresh  sorrow  rolled  over  as  near 
to  the  wall  as  he  could  get,  and  tried  to  hold  in 
his  sobs. 

As  soon  as  he  dared  the  next  morning,  Joel 
hopped  over  David  still  asleep,  and  out  of  bed; 
jumped  into  his  clothes,  and  ran  softly  down- 


THE    UNITED    CLUBS  159 

stairs.  There  in  the  area  was  Sinbad,  who  had 
evidently  concluded  to  make  the  best  of  it,  and 
accept  the  situation,  for  he  was  curled  up  in  as 
small  a  compass  as  possible,  and  was  even  at 
tempting  a  little  sleep. 

"I  won't  let  him  see  me,"  said  Joel  to  himself, 
"  but  as  soon  as  Dr.  Marks  is  up "  —  and  he 
glanced  over  at  the  master's  house  for  any  sign 
of  things  beginning  to  move  for  the  day  —  "  and 
dressed,  why,  I'll  go  and  ask  him — "what,  he 
didn't  dare  to  say,  for  Joel  hadn't  been  able,  with 
all  his  thinking,  to  devise  any  plan  whereby 
Sinbad  could  be  saved. 

"But  perhaps  Dr.  Marks  will  know,"  he  kept 
thinking;  and  after  a  while  the  shades  were  drawn 
up  at  the  red  brick  house  across  the  yard,  the 
housemaid  came  out  to  brush  off  the  steps,  and 
various  other  indications  showed  that  the  master 
was  beginning  to  think  of  the  new  day  and  its 
duties. 

Joel  nlunged  across  the  yard.  It  was  awful, 
he  knew,  to  intrude  at  the  master's  house  before 
breakfast.  But  by  that  time  —  oh,  dreadful!  — 
Sinbad  would  probably  be  beyond  the  help  of 
any  rescuing  hand,  for  Mr.  Parr  would,  without 
a  doubt,  deliver  him  to  the  garbage  man  to  be 


160     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

hauled  off.     And  Joel,  with  no  thought  of  con 
sequences  to  himself,  plunged  recklessly  on. 

"Is  Dr.  Marks  up?"  he  demanded  of  the 
housemaid,  who  only  stared  at  him,  and  went  on 
with  her  work  of  sweeping  off  the  steps.  "Is 
Dr.  Marks  up?  "cried  Joel,  his  black  eyes  flash 
ing,  and  going  halfway  up. 

"Yes;  but  what  of  it?"  cried  the  housemaid 
airily,  leaning  on  her  broom  a  minute. 

"Oh,  I  must  see  him,"  cried  Joel,  bounding 
into  the  hall.  It  was  such  a  cry  of  distress  that 
it  penetrated  far  within  the  house. 

"Oh  my!  you  outrageous  boy!"  exclaimed  the 
housemaid,  shaking  her  broom  at  him.  "You 
come  right  out." 

Meantime  a  voice  said,  "What  is  it?"  And 
there  was  Dr.  Marks  in  dressing  gown  and  slip 
pers  looking  over  the  railing  at  the  head  of  the 
stairs. 

"Oh  Dr.  Marks,  Dr.  Marks!"  Joel,  not  giv 
ing  himself  time  to  think,  dashed  over  the  stairs, 
to  look  up  into  the  face  under  the  iron-gray  hair. 

The  master  could  scarcely  conceal  his  amaze 
ment,  but  he  made  a  brave  effort  at  self-control. 

"Why,  Pepper!"  he  exclaimed,  and  there  was 
a  good  deal  of  displeasure  in  face  and  manner;  so 


THE   UNITED    CLUBS  161 

much  so  that  Joel's  knees  knocked  smartly  to 
gether,  and  everything  swam  before  his  eyes. 

"Well,  what  did  you  want  to  see  me  for,  Pep 
per?"  Dr.  Marks  was  inquiring,  so  Joel  blurted 
out,  "A  dog,  sir." 

"A  dog?"  repeated  Dr.  Marks,  and  now  he 
showed  his  amazement  and  displeasure  as  well. 
"And  is  this  what  you  have  interrupted  me  to 
say,  at  this  unseasonable  hour,  Joel  Pepper?" 

"Oh!"  cried  Joel,  and  then  he  broke  right 
down,  and  went  flat  on  the  stairs,  crying  as  if  his 
heart  would  break.  And  Mrs.  Marks  threw  on 
her  pretty  blue  wrapper  in  a  dreadful  tremor,  and 
rushed  out  with  restoratives;  and  the  housemaid 
who  shook  her  broom  at  Joel,  ran  on  remorseful 
feet  for  a  glass  of  water,  and  the  master's  whole 
house  was  in  a  ferment.  But  Dr.  Marks  waved 
them  all  aside.  "The  boy  needs  nothing,"  he 
said.  "Come,  Joel."  He  took  his  hand,  all 
grimy  and  streaked,  and  looked  at  his  poor, 
swollen  eyelids  and  nose,  over  which  the  tears 
were  still  falling,  and  in  a  minute  he  had  him  in 
his  own  private  study,  with  the  door  shut. 

When  he  emerged  a  quarter-hour  after,  Joel  was 
actually  smiling.  He  had  hold  of  the  master's 
hand,  and  clutched  in  his  other  fist  was  a  note, 


1 62     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOI 

somewhat  changed  in  appearance  from  its  im 
maculate  condition  when  delivered  by  Dr.  Marks 
to  the  bearer. 

"Yes,  sir,"  Joel  was  saying,  "I'll  do  it  all  just 
as  you  say,  sir."  And  he  ran  like  lightning 
across  the  yard. 

The  note  put  into  the  instructor's  hand,  made 
him  change  countenance  more  than  once  in  the 
course  of  its  reading.  It  simply  said,  for  it  was 
very  short,  that  the  dog  was  to  be  delivered  to 
Joel  Pepper,  who  was  to  bring  it  to  the  master's 
house;  and  although  there  wasn't  a  line  or  even 
a  word  to  show  any  disapproval  of  his  course, 
Mr.  Parr  felt,  as  he  set  about  obeying  it,  as  if 
somehow  he  had  made  a  little  mistake  somewhere. 

All  Joel  thought  of,  however,  was  to  get  pos 
session  of  Sinbad.  And  when  once  he  had  the 
cord  in  his  hand,  he  untied  it  with  trembling 
fingers,  Sinbad,  in  his  transport,  hampering  the 
operation  dreadfully  by  bobbing  his  head  about 
in  his  violent  efforts  to  lick  Joel's  face  and  hands, 
for  he  had  about  given  up  in  despair  the  idea  of 
ever  seeing  him  again. 

"He's  glad  to  go,  isn't  he,  Joel?"  observed  the 
instructor,  to  break  the  ice,  and  make  conversa 
tion. 


THE   UNITED    CLUBS  163 

But  no  such  effort  was  necessary,  for  Joel 
looked  up  brightly.  "Isn't  he,  sir?  Now  say 
good-bye."  At  last  the  string  was  loose,  and 
dangling  to  the  hook  in  the  area  wall,  and  Joel 
held  the  dog  up,  and  stuck  out  his  paw. 

"Good-bye,"  said  Mr.  Parr,  laughing  as  he 
took  it,  and  quite  relieved  to  find  that  relations 
were  not  strained  after  all,  as  Joel,  hugging  his 
dog,  sped  hastily  across  the  yard  again  to  the 
master's  house. 

Dr.  Marks  never  told  how  very  ugly  he  found 
the  dog,  but,  summoning  the  man  who  kept  his 
garden  and  lawn  in  order,  he  consigned  Sinbad 
to  his  care,  with  another  note. 

"Now,  Joel,"  he  said,  "you  know  this  pay 
ment  comes  every  week  out  of  your  allowance  for 
this  dog's  keeping,  eh?  It  is  clearly  understood, 
Joel?"' 

"Oh,  yes,  sir  —  yes!"  shouted  Joel. 

"Perhaps  we'll  be  able  to  find  a  good  home  for 
him.  Well,  good-bye,  Sinbad,"  said  the  master, 
as  Sinbad,  with  the  gardener's  hand  over  his  eyes, 
so  that  he  could  not  see  Joel,  was  marched  off, 
Dr.  Marks  from  the  veranda  charging  that  the 
note  be  delivered  and  read  before  leaving  the 
dog. 


1 64     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"Oh,  I'm  going  to  take  him  home  at  vaca 
tion,"  announced  Joel  decidedly. 

"Indeed!  Well,  now,  perhaps  your  grand 
father  won't  care  for  him;  you  must  not  count 
too  much  upon  it,  my  boy."  All  the  control  in 
the  world  could  not  keep  the  master  from  smiling 


now. 


"Oh,  I  guess  he  will."  Joel  was  in  no  wise 
disturbed  by  the  doubt. 

"Well,  run  along  to  breakfast  with  you,  Pep 
per,"  cried  Dr.  Marks  good-humoredly,  "and 
the  next  time  you  come  over  to  see  me,  don't 
bring  any  more  dogs." 

So  Joel,  in  high  good  spirits,  and  thinking  how 
he  would  soon  run  down  to  the  little  old  cob 
bler's  where  the  master  had  sent  the  dog,  chased 
off  across  the  yard  once  more,  and  slipped  in  to 
breakfast  with  a  terrible  appetite,  and  a  manner 
as  if  nothing  especial  had  happened  the  preced 
ing  night. 

And  all  the  boys  rubbed  their  eyes,  particu 
larly  as  Joel  and  Mr.  Parr  seemed  to  be  on  the 
best  of  terms.  And  once  when  something  was 
said  about  a  dog  by  Mr.  Harrow,  who  hadn't 
heard  anything  of  the  midnight  tumult  in  the 
dormitory,  and  was  for  continuing  the  account  of 


THE   UNITED    CLUBS  165 

his  trained  pet,  the  other  under-teacher  and  Joel 
Pepper  indulged  in  smiles  and  nods  perfectly 
mystifying  to  all  the  other  people  at  the  table, 
David  included. 

David,  when  he  woke  up,  which  was  quite 
late,  to  find  Joel  gone,  had  been  terribly  fright 
ened.  But  chancing  to  look  out  of  the  window, 
he  saw  him  racing  across  the  yard,  and  watching 
closely,  he  discovered  that  he  had  something  in 
his  arms,  and  that  he  turned  in  to  the  master's 
house. 

"I  can't  do  anything  now,"  said  Davie  to  him 
self  in  the  greatest  distress;  yet  somehow  when 
he  came  to  think  of  it,  it  seemed  to  be  with  a 
great  deal  of  hope  since  Dr.  Marks  was  to  be 
appealed  to.  And  when  breakfast-time  came, 
and  with  it  Joel  so  blithe  and  hungry,  David  fell 
to  on  his  own  breakfast  with  a  fine  appetite. 

All  the  boys  of  the  club,  not  one  to  be  re 
ported  absent,  presented  themselves  at  Mr. 
King's  on  club  night.  And  all  the  members  of 
the  "Salisbury  School  Club"  came  promptly  to 
gether,  with  one  new  member,  Cathie  Harrison, 
who,  at  Polly's  suggestion,  had  been  voted  in  at 
the  last  meeting. 


166     FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

Alexia  still  had  her  arm  in  a  sling;  and  indeed 
she  was  quite  willing  it  should  remain  so,  for 
she  was  in  constant  terror  that  her  aunt,  who 
had  been  persuaded  to  leave  her,  would  insist  on 
the  return  home.  So  Alexia  begged  off  at  every 
mention  of  the  subject,  as  Grandpapa  King  and 
Mother  Fisher  were  very  glad  to  have  the  visit 
lengthened.  She  was  as  gay  as  ever,  and  to 
night  was  quite  in  her  element;  it  had  been  so 
long  since  she  had  had  a  good  time. 

"Oh,  Jasper,"  she  cried,  "can  we  all  get  into 
your  den?" 

"I  think  so,"  said  Jasper,  who  had  already 
settled  all  that  with  Polly,  counting  every  mem 
ber  as  coming,  in  order  to  make  no  mistake, 
"we're  to  have  the  business-meeting  in  there, 
Alexia;  and  after  that,  father  has  invited  us  in 
to  the  drawing-room." 

"What  richness!"  exclaimed  Alexia,  sinking 
into  one  of  the  library  chairs  to  pull  out  her 
skirts  and  play  with  her  rings.  "Oh,  Jasper 
King,  I  shouldn't  think  you'd  ever  in  all  this 
world  get  used  to  living  in  this  perfectly  exqui 
site  house." 

"Well,  I've  always  lived  here,  Alexia,"  said 
Jasper  with  a  laugh,  "so  I  suppose  that  is  the 


THE    UNITED    CLUBS  167 

reason  I'm  not  overwhelmed  now.  Oh,  here 
comes  Clare.  All  right,  old  fellow,  glad  you've 
come.  Now  I'll  call  the  meeting  to  order."  For 
Clare  was  the  secretary. 

And  the  rest  of  the  boys  and  girls  assembling, 
the  business-meeting  was  soon  begun  in  the 
"den,"  Jasper  who  was  the  president  of  the  boys' 
club,  flourishing  his  gavel  in  great  style. 

"Now  we've  come  together,"  announced  the 
president  after  the  regular  business  was  dis 
posed  of,  "to  get  up  a  plan  by  which  we  can 
accomplish  something  more  than  merely  to  have 
a  good  time." 

"Nonsense!"  interrupted  Clare,  "we  want  a 
good  time." 

"For  shame!"  Jasper  pounded  his  gavel  to 
restore  order.  "And  to  begin  with,  it  is  as  well 
to  announce  at  once  that  all  unruly  members  will 
be  put  out,"  with  a  stern  glance  at  the  secretary. 

"Oh,  dear  me!"  exclaimed  Clare,  huddling 
down  into  his  big  chair. 

"Go  along,  Prex,"  said  Pickering,  coming  over 
from  the  other  side  of  the  room,  "I'll  sit  on  that 
old  secretary  if  he  makes  any  more  trouble." 

"Get  away!"  laughed  Clare;  "that's  worse 
than  being  put  out." 


1 68     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"Oh,  I'll  sit  on  you  first,  and  then  I'll  carry 
out  the  pieces  afterward.  Sail  on,  Prexy,  they 
all  want  the  plan." 

"Well"    -the  president  cleared  his  throat  - 
"hem!     And  in  order  to  do  good  work,  why  we 
had  to  ask  the  girls'  club  to  come  to  this  meet 
ing,  and  - 

"Not  necessarily,"  put  in  Clare. 

Pickering  pounced  for  him,  but  instead  of  sit 
ting  on  him,  his  long  figure  doubled  up  in  the 
big  chair,  while  the  secretary  slipped  neatly  out. 

"Ha,  ha!  did  you  ever  get  left?"  giggled  Clare, 
at  a  safe  distance. 

"Many  a  time,  my  dear  child,"  said  Pickering 
coolly,  leaning  back  restfully,  "but  never  in  such 
a  good  seat.  Thank  you,  Mr.  Secretary.  Pro 
ceed,  Prexy." 

"Good  for  you,  Pickering,"  cried  Alexia,  while 
the  laugh  went  around. 

"  Order ! "  cried  Jasper,  pounding  away.  "  Now 
that  our  troublesome  secretary  is  quieted,  I  will 
proceed  to  say  that  as  we  want  the  plan  to  suc 
ceed,  we  invited  the  Salisbury  Club  this  evening." 

"Thank  you,  Mr.  President,"  the  girls  clapped 
vigorously. 

"So  now  after  I  tell  you  of  the  object,  I  want 


THE   UNITED   CLUBS  169 

you  to  express  your  minds  about  the  various 
plans  that  will  be  laid  before  you."  Then  Jas 
per  told  the  story  of  Jim,  the  brakeman;  and  how 
Grandpapa  and  Polly  and  he  had  gone  to  the 
poor  home,  thanks  to  the  little  clerk;  and  how 
the  three  boys  who  were  waiting  for  education 
ar^d  the  girl  who  was  crazy  to  take  music-lessons, 
to  say  nothing  of  the  two  mites  of  children  tod 
dling  around,  made  the  poor  widow  almost 
frantic  as  she  thought  of  their  support;  until 
some  of  the  girls  were  sniffling  and  hunting  for 
their  handkerchiefs,  and  the  boys  considerately 
turned  away  and  wouldn't  look  at  them, 

"Now  you  tell  the  rest,  Polly,"  cried  Jasper, 
quite  tired  out. 

"Oh,  no,  you  tell,"  said  Polly,  who  dearly 
loved  to  hear  Jasper  talk. 

"Do,  Polly,"  and  he  pushed  the  hair  off  from 
his  forehead.  So,  as  she  saw  he  really  wanted 
her  to,  Polly  began  with  shining  eyes,  and  glow 
ing  cheeks,  to  finish  the  story. 

And  she  told  how  Grandpapa  had  ordered  pro 
visions  and  coal  for  the  poor  widow  enough  for 
many  months  to  come;  and  how  —  oh,  wasn't 
that  perfectly  splendid  in  dear  Grandpapa?  —  he 
had  promised  that  the  little  girl  (Arethusa  was 


,70     FIVE    LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

her  name)  should  take  music-lessons  from  one  of 
the  teachers  in  the  city.  And  Polly  clasped  her 
hands  and  sighed,  quite  unable  to  do  more. 

"And  what  do  you  want  us  to  do?"  cried  the 
secretary  forgetting  all  about  losing  his  seat,  to 
crowd  up  to  the  table.  "Say,  if  that  family  has 
got  all  that  richness,  what  do  you  want  the  club 
to  do?" 

"Oh,"  said  Polly  turning  her  shining  eyes  on 
him,  "there  are  ever  and  ever  so  many  things 
the  boys  and  that  girl  will  need,  and  Grandpapa 
says  that  they'll  think  a  great  deal  more  of  help, 
if  some  young  people  take  hold  of  it.  And  so 
I'm  sure  I  should,"  she  added. 

"It  strikes  me  that  I  should,  too,"  declared 
Pickering,  all  his  laziness  gone.  And  getting  his 
long  figure  out  of  the  chair,  he  cried,  "I  move, 
Mr.  President,  that  we,"  -  here  he  waved  his 
hands  in  a  sweeping  gesture,  —  "the  Salisbury 
Club  and  our  club,  unite  in  a  plan  to  do  some 
thing  for  that  family." 

"I  second  the  motion,"  the  secretary  cried  out, 
much  to  everybody's  surprise,  for  Polly  was  all 
ready  to  do  it  if  no  one  else  offered  to.  So  the 
vote  was  carried  unanimously  amid  the  greatest 
enthusiasm. 


THE   UNITED    CLUBS  i7t 

"Now  what  shall  we  do?"  cried  the  president, 
jumping  to  his  feet.  "Let  us  strike  while  the 
iron  is  hot.  What  shall  we  do  to  raise  money?" 

"You  said  you  had  plans,"  cried  one  of  the 
girls. 

"Yes  —  tell  on,"  cried  several  boys. 

"Well,  one  is,  that  we  have  a  play,"  began 
Jasper. 

"Oh  — oh!" 

Old  Mr.  King,  over  his  evening  paper  off  in 
the  library,  laid  it  down,  and  smiled  at  the  merry 
din  that  reached  him  even  at  such  a  distance. 

"And  another,"  cried  the  president,  doing  his 
best  to  make  himself  heard. 

"Oh,  we  don't  want  another,"  cried  Clare,  in 
which  the  united  clubs  joined. 

"Don't  you  want  to  hear  any  other  plans?" 
shouted  the  president. 

"No,  no  —  the  play!  Put  it  to  vote,  do,  Jas 
per  —  I  mean,  Mr.  President,"  cried  Alexia. 

So  the  vote  was  taken,  and  everybody  said, 
"Aye,"  and  as  there  wasn't  a  single  "No?"  why 
the  "ayes"  had  it  of  course.  And  after  that  they 
talked  so  long  over  the  general  plan,  that  old  Mr. 
King  at  last  had  to  send  a  very  special  invitation 
to  come  out  to  the  dining-room.  And  there  was 


172     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

Mother  Fisher  and  Mrs.  Whitney  and  the  little 
doctor  and  a  most  splendid  collation!  And  then 
off  to  the  big  drawing-room  to  top  off  with  a 
dance,  with  one  or  two  musicians  tucked  up  by 
the  grand  piano,  and  Grandpapa  smiling  in  great 
satisfaction  upon  them  all. 


XII    SOME   EVERY-DAY   FUN 

"TT  can't  rain,"  cried  Polly  Pepper,  "and  it 

A     isn't  going  to.     Don't  think  it,  girls." 

"But  it  looks  just  like  it,"  said  Alexia  obsti 
nately,  and  wrinkling  up  her  brows;  "see  those 
awful,  horrid  clouds,  girls."  She  pointed  tragi 
cally  up  to  the  sky. 

"Don't  look  at  them,"  advised  Polly.  "Come 
on,  girls.  I  challenge  you  to  a  race  as  far  as  the 
wicket  gate." 

Away  she  dashed,  with  a  bevy  at  her  heels. 
Alexia,  not  to  be  left  behind  staring  at  the  sky, 
went  racing  after. 

"Wait,"  she  screamed.  The  racers,  however, 
spent  no  time  attending  to  laggards,  but  ran  on. 

Polly  dashed  ahead,  and  touched  the  green 
wicket  gate.  "Oh,  Polly  got  there  first!"  Al 
most  immediately  came  another  girl's  fingers  on 
it. 

"  No  —  I  don't  think  so,"  panted  Polly.    "  Phi- 
lena  got  there  just  about  as  soon." 
'73 


174     FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"No,  you  were  first,"  said  the  girl  who  plunged 
up  next;  "I  saw  it  distinctly. 

"Well,  it  was  so  near  that  we  ought  to  have 
another  race  to  decide  it,"  declared  Polly,  with 
a  little  laugh,  pushing  back  the  damp  rings  of 
hair  from  her  forehead.  "  Girls,  isn't  it  lovely 
that  we  have  this  splendid  place  where  we  can 
run,  and  nobody  see  us?" 

"Yes,"  said  Alexia,  throwing  herself  down  on 
the  grass;  which  example  was  immediately  fol 
lowed  by  all  the  other  girls.  "I  just  love  this 
avenue  down  to  the  wicket  gate,  Polly  Pepper." 

"So  do  I,"  chimed  in  the  others. 

"Oh  dear  me!  I'm  just  toasted  and  fried," 
declared  Alexia.  "I  never  was  so  hot  in  all  my 
life." 

"You  shouldn'  have  run  so,  Alexia,"  said 
Polly  reproachfully,  patting  the  arm  still  in  its 
sling.  "Oh,  how  could  you'" 

"Well,  did  you  suppose  I  was  going  to  see  you 
all  sprinting  off  and  havm*  such  fun,  and  not 
try  it  too?  No,  indeed;  that's  asking  too  much, 
Polly." 

Then  she  threw  herself  at  full  length  on  the 
grass,  and  gazed  at  her  meditatively. 

"Well,  we  mustn't  have  the  second  race,  Phi 


SOME    EVERY-DAY    FUN  175 

lena,"  said  Polly;  "because  if  Alcxia  runs  again, 
it  surely  will  hurt  her." 

"Ow !  "  exclaimed  Alexia,  flouncing  up  so  sud 
denly  that  she  nearly  overthrew  Amy  Garrett, 
who  was  sitting  next,  and  who  violently  protested 
against  such  treatment,  "now  I  won't  keep  you 
back,  Polly.  Oh  dear  me!  it  can't  hurt  me  a 
single  bit.  I'm  all  ready  to  take  off  this  horrible 
old  thing,  you  know  I  am,  only  Dr.  Fisher 
thought—" 

"He  thought  it  would  be  safer  to  keep  it  on 
till  after  the  picnic,"  Polly  was  guilty  of  inter 
rupting.  "You  know  he  said  so,  Alexia.  No, 
we  won't  run  again,  girls,"  Polly  brought  up 
quite  decidedly. 

"Polly,  you  shdl;  I  won't  run  —  I  really 
won't;  I'll  shut  my  eyes,"  and  Alexia  squinted  up 
her  pale  eyes  till  her  face  was  drawn  up  in  a 
knot.  "  I'll  turn  my  back,  I'll  do  anything  if 
you'll  only  race;  please  try  it  again,  Polly." 

So  Polly,  seeing  that  Alexia  really  wished  it, 
dropped  a  kiss  on  each  of  the  closed  eyes.  "Put 
your  hand  over  them,  and  untwist  your  face 
from  that  funny  knot,"  she  laughed.  "Come 
on,  girls,"  and  the  race  began. 

Alexia  twisted  and  wriggled,  as    lie  pattering 


176     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

feet  and  quick  breath  of  the  girls  when  they 
neared  her  resting  place,  plunged  her  in  dreadful 
distress  not  to  look.  "Oh  dear  —  um!  if  I  could 
just  see  once;  um — um!  I  know  Polly  will 
win;  oh  dear!  She  must." 

But  she  didn't.  It  was  Cathie  Harrison,  the 
new  girl;  that  is,  new  to  them,  as  they  hadn't 
drawn  her  into  their  set,  but  a  few  weeks.  She 
was  a  tall,  thin  girl,  who  got  over  the  ground 
amazingly,  to  touch  the  green  wicket  gate  cer 
tainly  three  seconds  before  Polly  Pepper  came 
flying  up. 

"You  did  that  just  splendidly,  Cathie,"  cried 
Polly  breathlessly.  "Oh  dear  me,  that  was  a 
race!" 

"  Goodness  me !"  cried  Altxia,  her  eyes  flying 
open,  "my  face  never'll  get  out  of  that  knot  in 
all  this  world.  My!  I  feel  as  if  my  jaws  were 
all  tied  up.  Well,  Polly,  this  time  you  beat  for 
sure,"  she  added  confidently,  as  the  girls  came 
running  up  to  throw  themselves  on  the  grass 
again. 

"But  I  didn't,"  said  Polly  merrily.  "Oh 
dear!  I  am  so  hot." 

"Yes,  you  did,"  declared  Alexia  stubbornly. 

"Why,  Alexia  Rhys!    I  didn't  beat,  any  such 


SOME    EVERY-DAY    FUN  177 

a  thing,"  corrected  Polly  —  "not  a  single  bit  of 


it." 


"Well,  who  did,  then?"  demanded  Alexia, 
quite  angry  to  have  Polly  defeated. 

"Why,  Cathie  did,"  said  Polly,  smiling  over  at 
her. 

"What,  that  old-  '  then  Alexia  pulled  her 
self  up;  but  it  was  too  late. 

A  dull  red  mounted  to  Cathie's  sallow  cheek, 
that  hadn't  changed  color  during  all  the  two 
races.  She  drew  a  long  breath,  then  got  up 
slowly  to  her  feet. 

"I'm  going  to  play  bean-bags,"  announced 
Polly  briskly.  "Come  on,  girls.  See  who'll  get 
to  the  house  first." 

"I'm  going  home,"  said  Cathie,  hurrying  up  to 
wedge  herself  into  the  group,  and  speaking  to 
Polly.  "Good-bye." 

"No,"  said  Polly,  "we're  going  to  play  bean- 
bags.  Come  on,  Cathie."  She  tried  to  draw 
Cathie's  hand  within  her  arm,  but  the  girl  pulled 
herself  away.  "I  must  go  home  —  "  and  she 
started  off. 

"  Cathie  —  Cathie,  wait,"  but  again  Cathie  beat 
her  on  a  swift  run  down  the  avenue. 

Alexia  stuffed  her  fingers,  regardless  of  arm  in 


1 78     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

the  sling,  or  anything,  into  her  mouth,  and  rolled 
over  in  dreadful  distress,  face  downward  on  the 
grass.  The  other  girls  stood  in  a  frightened  little 
knot,  just  where  they  were,  without  moving,  as 
Polly  came  slowly  back  down  the  avenue.  She 
was  quite  white  now.  "Oh  dear!"  groaned  Phi- 
lena,  "look  at  Polly!" 

Alexia  heard  it,  and  stuffed  her  fingers  worse 
than  ever  into  her  mouth  to  keep  herself  from 
screaming  outright,  and  wriggled  dreadfully. 
But  no  one  paid  any  attention  to  her.  She  knew 
that  Polly  had  joined  the  girls  now;  she  could 
hear  them  talking,  and  Polly  was  saying,  in  a 
sad  little  voice,  "Yes,  I'm  afraid  she  won't  ever 
come  with  us  again." 

"She  must,  she  shall!"  howled  Alexia,  rolling 
over,  and  sitting  up  straight.  "Oh  Polly  ?  she 
shall!"  and  she  wrung  her  long  hands  as  well 
as  she  could  for  the  arm  in  the  sling. 

"Oh,  no,  I  am  afraid  not,  Alexia,"  and  her 
head  drooped;  no  one  would  have  thought  for  a 
moment  that  it  was  Polly  Pepper  speaking. 

And  then  Amy  Garrett  said  the  very  worst 
thing  possible:  "And  just  think  of  that  picnic!" 
And  after  that  remark,  the  whole  knot  of  girls 
was  plunged  into  the  depths  of  gloom. 


SOME    EVERY-DAY    FUN  179 

Jasper,  running  down  the  avenue  with  Picker 
ing  Dodge  at  his  heels,  found  them  so,  and  was 
transfixed  with  astonishment.  "  Well,  I  declare ! " 
He  burst  into  a  merry  laugh. 

"You  look  like  a  lot  of  wax  figures,"  said 
Pickering  pleasantly;  "just  about  as  interesting." 
Then  they  saw  Polly  Pepper's  face. 

"Oh,  what  is  it?"  cried  Jasper,  starting  for 
ward. 

Polly  tried  to  speak  cheerfully,  but  the  lump 
in  her  throat  wouldn't  let  her  say  a  word. 

"If  you  boys  must  know,"  said  Alexia,  floun 
cing  up  to  her  feet,  "I've  been  bad  and  perfectly 
horrid  to  that  Harrison  girl;  and  I've  upset  every 
thing  ;  and  —  and  —  do  go  right  straight  away, 
both  of  you,  and  not  stand  there  staring.  I  don't 
think  it's  very  polite." 

"Oh  Polly,"  cried  Jasper,  gaining  her  side, 
"can't  we  help?"  He  was  dreadfully  distressed. 
"Do  let  us." 

Polly  shook  her  head.  "No,  Jasper,  there  isn't 
anything  you  can  do,"  she  said  brokenly. 

Pickering  thrust  his  hands  in  his  pockets,  and 
whistled  softly.  "Girls  always  get  into  such 
rows,"  he  observed. 

"Well,  I  guess  we  don't  get  into  worse  ones 


i8o     FIVE    LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

than  you  boys  do,  nor  half  as  bad,"  cried  Alexia 
crossly,  perfectly  wild  to  quarrel  with  somebody. 
"And,  besides,  this  isn't  the  other  girls'  fault 
It's  all  my  fight  from  beginning  to  end." 

"Then  you  ought  to  be  perfectly  ashamed  of 
yourself,  Alexia,"  declared  Pickering,  not  intend 
ing  to  mince  matters  in  the  slightest. 

"Well,  I  am,"  said  Alexia,  "just  as  ashamed 
as  I  can  be.  Oh  dear  me!  I  wish  I  could  cry. 
But  I'm  too  bad  to  cry.  Polly  Pepper,  I'm  going 
to  run  after  that  horrible  Harrison  girl.  Oh 
misery!  I  wish  she  never  had  come  to  the  Salis 
bury  School."  Alexia  made  a  mad  rush  clown 
the  avenue. 

"Don't,  Alexia,  you'll  hurt  your  arm,"  warned 
Polly. 

"I  don't  care  — I  hope  I  shall,"  cried  Alexia 
recklessly. 

"It's  no  use  to  try  to  stop  her,"  said  Jasper, 
"so  let  us  go  up  to  the  house,  Polly." 

So  they  started  dismally  enough,  the  girls,  all 
except  Polly,  going  over  in  sorry  fashion  how 
Cathie  Harrison  would  probably  make  a  fuss 
about  the  little  affair  —  she  was  doubtless  on  her 
way  to  Miss  Salisbury's  now  —  and  then  perhaps 
there  wouldn't  be  any  picnic  at  all  on  the  mor- 


SOME    EVERY-DAY    FUN  181 

row.  At  this,  Philena  stopped  short.  "Girls, 
that  would  be  too  dreadful,"  she  gasped,  "for 
anything!  " 

"Well,  it  would  be  just  like  her,"  said  Silvia 
Home,  "and  I  wish  we  never  had  taken  her  into 
our  set.  She's  an  old  moping  thing,  and  can't 
bear  a  word." 

"I  wish  so  too,"  declared  Amy  Garrett  posi 
tively;  "she  doesn't  belong  with  us;  and  she's 
always  going  to  make  trouble.  And  I  hope  she 
won't  go  to  the  picnic  anyway,  if  we  do  have  it, 
so  there." 

"I  don't  think  that  is  the  way  to  mend  the 
matter,  Amy,"  said  Jasper  gravely. 

"Hoh,  hoh!"  exclaimed  Pickering,  "how  you 
girls  can  go  on  so,  I  don't  see;  talking  forever 
about  one  thing,  instead  of  just  settling  it  with  a 
few  fisticuffs.  That  would  be  comfortable  now." 

The  girls,  one  and  all,  turned  a  cold  shoulder 
to  him  after  this  speech. 

"Well,  we  sha'n't  get  the  picnic  now,  I  know," 
said  Philena  tragically;  "and  think  of  all  our 
nice  things  ready.  Dear  me!  our  cook  made  me 
the  sweetest  chocolate  cakes,  because  we  were 
going  to  start  so  early  in  the  morning.  Now  we'll 
have  them  for  dinner,  and  eat  them  up  ourselves. 
We  might  as  well." 


182     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"You  better  not,"  advised  Pickering.  "Take 
my  advice;  you'll  get  your  picnic  all  right;  then 
where  would  you  be  with  your  cakes  all  eaten  up  ?  " 

"You  don't  know  Miss  Salisbury,"  said  Sally 
Moore  gloomily;  "nothing  would  make  her  so 
mad  as  to  have  us  get  up  a  fuss  with  a  new 
scholar.  She  was  so  pleased  when  Polly  Pepper 
invited  that  Harrison  girl  to  come  to  our  bee  for 
that  poor  family  down  South." 

"And  now,  just  think  how  we've  initiated  her 
into  our  club!"  said  Lucy  Bennett,  with  a  sigh. 
" Oh  my  goodness  —  look!" 

She  pointed  off  down  the  avenue.  All  the 
girls  whirled  around  to  stare.  There  were  Alexia 
and  Cathie,  coming  toward  them  arm  in  arm. 

"Jasper"  -Polly  turned  to  him  with  shining 
eyes  —  "  see ! "  Then  she  broke  away  from  them 
all,  and  rushed  to  meet  the  two  girls. 

"There  isn't  anybody  going  to  say  a  word,'' 
announced  Alexia,  as  the  three  girls  came  up  to 
the  group,  Polly  Pepper  in  the  middle,  "because, 
as  I  told  you,  it  was  all  my  fight,  anyway.  So, 
Pickering,  you  needn't  get  ready  to  be  disagree 
able,"  she  flashed  over  at  him  saucily. 

"I  shall  say  just  what  I  think,"  declared  Pick 
ering  flatly. 


SOME    EVERY-DAY    FUN  183 

"No  doubt,"  said  Alexia  sweetly,  "but  it 
won't  make  a  bit  of  difference.  Well,  now, 
Polly,  what  shall  we  do?  Do  start  us  on  some 
thing." 

"We  came,  Pick  and  I,"  announced  Jasper, 
"to  ask  you  girls  to  have  a  game  of  bean-bags. 
There's  just  time  before  dinner  —  on  the  south 
lawn,  Polly. " 

"Oh,  good  —  good!"  cried  the  girls,  clapping 
their  hands.  "Come  on,  Cathie,"  said  Philena 
awkwardly,  determined  to  break  the  ice  at  once. 

"Yes,  Cathie,  come  on,"  said  Amy  and  Silvia, 
trying  to  be  very  nice. 

Cathie  just  got  her  mouth  ready  to  say,  "No, 
I  thank  you,"  primly,  thought  better  of  it,  and 
before  she  quite  realized  it  herself,  there  she  was, 
hurrying  by  a  short  cut  across  the  grass  to  the 
south  lawn. 

"I'm  going  to  stay  with  Alexia,"  said  Polly, 
when  they  all  reached  there,  and  Jasper  flew 
over  to  pull  out  the  bean-bags  from  their  box 
under  the  piazza.  "Come  on,  Alexia,  let's  you 
and  I  sit  in  the  hammock  and  watch  it." 

"Oh  Polly,  come  and  play,"  begged  Jasper, 
pausing  with  his  arms  full.  "Here,  Pick,  you 
lazy  dog.  Help  with  these  bags." 


184     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"  Can't,"   said   Polly,    shaking  her  head.     So 

Alexia  and  she  curled  up  in  one  of  the  hammocks. 

"I'm  just  dying  to  tell  you  all  about  it,  Polly 

Pepper,"  said  Alexia,  pulling  Polly's  cheek  down 

to  her  own. 

"Yes,"  said  Polly  happily,  "and  I  can't  wait 
to  hear  it;  and  besides,  you  can't  play  bean-bags, 
Alexia,  with  that  arm.  Well,  do  go  on,"  and 
Polly  was  in  quite  a  twitter  for  the  story  to  be 
gin. 

"You  see,"  said  Alexia,  "I  knew  something 
desperate  had  got  to  be  done,  Polly,  for  she  was 
crying  all  over  her  best  silk  waist." 

"Oh  dear  me!"  exclaimed  Polly,  aghast. 
"Yes;  she  had  sat  down  on  the  kitchen  step." 
"The  kitchen  step,"  repeated  Polly  faintly. 
"Yes.   I  suppose  she  got  beyond  caring  whether 
the  cook  saw  or  not,   she  was  feeling  so  very 
badly.     Well,    there    she    was,    and    she    didn't 
hear  me,  so  I  just  rushed  up,  or  rather  down 
upon  her,  and  then  I  screamed  '  Ow! '     And  she 
jumped  up,  and  said,  'Oh,  have  you  hurt   your 
arm?'    And  I  held  on  to  it  hard,  and  made  up 
an  awful  face,  oh,  as  bad  as  I  could,  and  doubled 
up ;  and  the  cook  came  to  the  door,  and  said  could 
she  get  me  anything,  and  she  was  going  to  call 


SOME    EVERY-DAY    FUN  185 

Mrs.  Fisher.  That  would  have  been  terrible." 
Alexia  broke  off  short,  and  drew  a  long  breath  at 
her  remembrance  of  the  fright  this  suggestion 
had  given  her.  "And  Cathie  fell  right  on  my 
neck  with,  'Oh,  do  forgive  me,'  and  I  said  'twas 
my  fault,  and  she  said,  no,  she  oughtn't  to  have 
got  mad,  and  I  said  she  must  hold  her  tongue." 

"Oh  Alexia!"  cried  Polly  reprovingly. 

"I  had  to,"  said  Alexia  serenely,  "or  we 
should  have  gotten  into  another  fight.  And  she 
said  she  would,  and  I  just  took  hold  of  her  arm, 
and  dragged  her  down  here.  And  I'm  tired  to 
death,"  finished  Alexia  plaintively. 

"Alexia,"  exclaimed  Polly,  cuddling  up  the 
long  figure  in  a  way  to  give  perfect  satisfaction, 
"we  must  make  Cathie  Harrison  have  the  best 
time  that  she  ever  had,  at  the  picnic  to-morrow." 

"  I  suppose  so,"  said  Alexia  resignedly.  "  Well, 
but  don't  let's  think  of  it  now,  for  I've  got  you, 
Polly,  and  I  want  to  rest." 


XIII    THE    PICNIC 

r  I^HE  four  barges  were  to  leave  the  "  Salis 
bury  School"  at  precisely  half-past  eight 
o'clock  the  next  morning.  Miss  Salisbury  was 
always  very  particular  about  being  prompt,  so 
woe  be  to  any  girl  who  might  be  late!  There 
was  great  scurrying,  therefore,  to  and  fro  in  the 
homes  of  the  day  scholars.  And  the  girls  hurried 
off  with  maids  behind  carrying  their  baskets;  or, 
as  the  case  might  be,  big  family  carriages  filled 
with  groups  of  girls  collected  among  those  of  a 
set;  or  in  little  pony  carriages.  All  this  made 
the  thoroughfares  adjacent  to  the  "Salisbury 
School"  extremely  busy  places  indeed. 

Mother  Fisher  sent  Polly's  basket  over  to  the 
school,  at  an  early  hour,  Polly  preferring  to  walk, 
several  of  the  girls  having  called  for  her.  So  they 
all,  with  Jasper,  who  was  going  as  far  as  the 
corner  with  them,  set  out  amidst  a  chatter  of 
merry  nonsense. 

"Oh  girls,  I  am  so  glad  we  are  going  to  the 
186 


THE    PICNIC  187 

Glen!"  exclaimed  Polly,  for  about  the  fiftieth 
time. 

"So  am  I,"  cried  all  the  others  in  a  chorus. 

"Why,  you  haven't  ever  been  to  any  other 
place  for  your  picnic,  have  you,  Polly?"  cried 
Jasper,  with  a  laugh. 

"No,"  said  Polly,  "we  never  have.  But  sup 
pose  Miss  Salisbury  had  decided  to  try  some 
other  spot  this  year;  oh,  just  suppose  it,  Jasper!" 
and  her  rosy  color  died  down  on  her  cheek.  "It 
would  have  been  just  too  dreadful  for  any 
thing." 

"We  couldn't  have  had  our  picnic  in  any  other 
place,"  declared  Rose  Harding;  "it  wouldn't  be 
the  same  unless  it  was  at  the  Glen." 

"Dear  old  Glen!"  cried  Polly  impulsively. 
"Jasper,  it's  too  bad  you  boys  can't  all  come  to 
our  picnics." 

"I  know  it.  It  would  be  no  end  jolly  if  we 
only  could,"  said  Jasper  regretfully,  to  whom  it 
was  a  great  grief  that  the  picnic  couldn't  take  in 
the  two  schools. 

"Yes,"  said  Polly,  with  a  sigh,  "it  would,  Jas 
per.  But  Miss  Salisbury  never  will  in  all  this 
world  let  the  boys'  school  join." 

"No,  I  suppose  not,"  said  Jasper,  stifling  his 


i88     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

longing;    "well,  you  must  tell  me  about   it  to 
night,  the  same  as  always,  Polly." 

"Yes,  I  will,  Jasper,"  promised  Polly.  So  he 
turned  the  corner,  to  go  to  his  school.  But  pres 
ently  he  heard  rapid  footsteps  back  of  him.  "  Oh 
Jasper,"  cried  Polly,  flushed  and  panting,  as  he 
whirled  about,  "tell  Phronsie  I  won't  forget  the 
little  fern-roots.  Be  sure,  Jasper." 

"All  right;  I  will,"  said  Jasper.  "Dear  me! 
do  hurry  back,  Polly.  You'll  be  late." 

"Oh  no,  there  are  oceans  of  time,"  said  Polly, 
with  a  little  laugh.  "I've  the  tin  case  in  my 
picnic  basket,  Jasper,  so  they  will  keep  all  fresh 
and  nice." 

"Yes;  do  hurry  back,"  begged  Jasper.  So 
Polly,  with  a  merry  nod,  raced  off  to  the  corner 
where  the  girls  were  drawn  up  in  a  knot,  impa 
tiently  waiting  for  her. 

Every  bit  of  the  fuss  and  parade  in  getting  the 
big  company  started  —  for  all  the  scholars  went  to 
the  annual  picnic  —  was  a  special  delight  to  the 
girls.  The  only  trouble  was  that  the  seats  were 
not  all  end  ones,  while  the  favorite  places  up  by 
the  driver  were  necessarily  few  in  each  vehicle. 

"Come  on,  Polly,"  screamed  Alexia.  Every 
body  had  agreed  that  she  should  have  one  of 


THE   PICNIC  189 

these  choice  positions  because  of  her  lame  arm, 
which  Dr.  Fisher  had  said  must  be  carried  in 
its  sling  this  day.  So  there  she  was,  calling  lus 
tily  for  Polly  Pepper,  and  beating  the  cushion  im 
patiently  with  her  well  hand.  "  Oh,  do  hurry  up ! " 

Polly,  down  on  the  ground  in  a  swarm  of  girls, 
shook  her  head.  "No,"  her  lips  said  softly,  so 
that  no  one  but  Alexia,  who  was  leaning  over  for 
that  purpose,  could  possibly  hear,  "ask  Cathie." 

" Oh  bother!"  exclaimed  Alexia,  with  a  frown. 
Then  she  smothered  it  up  with  a  "Come,  Polly," 
very  persuasively. 

"Can't,"  said  Polly;  "I'm  going  back  here." 
And  she  moved  down  to  the  end  of  the  barge. 

"Then  I'm  going  back  too."  Alexia  gave  a 
frantic  dive  to  get  down  from  the  barge. 

Miss  Salisbury  saw  it;  and  as  she  had  planned 
to  give  Alexia  just  that  very  pleasure  cf  riding 
on  the  front  seat,  she  was  naturally  somewhat 
disturbed.  "No,  no,  my  dear,"  seeing  Alexia's 
efforts  to  get  down,  "stay  where  you  are." 

"Oh  dear  me!"  Alexia  craned  her  long  neck 
around  the  side  of  the  vehicle,  to  spy  Polly's 
movements.  "I  don't  want  to  be  mewed  up 
here,"  she  cried  discontentedly.  But  Miss  Salis 
bury,  feeling  well  satisfied  with  her  plan  for 


190     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

making  Alexia  happy,  had  moved  off.  And  the 
babel  and  tumult  waged  so  high,  over  the  placing 
of  the  big  company,  all  the  girls  chattering  and 
laughing  at  once,  that  Alexia,  call  as  she  might, 
began  to  despair  of  attracting  Polly's  attention, 
or  Cathie's  either  for  that  matter. 

"You  better  set  down,"  said  the  driver,  an  old 
man  whom  Miss  Salisbury  employed  every  year 
to  superintend  the  business,  "and  make  your 
self  comfortable." 

"But  I'm  not  in  the  least  comfortable,"  said 
Alexia  passionately,  "and  I  don't  want  to  be  up 
here.  I  want  to  get  down." 

"But  you  can't,"  -the  old  man  seemed  to 
fairly  enjoy  her  dismay,  — "  'cause  she,  you 
know,"  pointing  a  short  square  thumb  over  his 
shoulder  in  the  direction  of  Miss  Salisbury,  "told 
ye  to  set  still.  So  ye  better  set." 

But  Alexia  craned  her  neck  yet  more,  and 
called  insistently,  "Polly  — oh,  Polly!" 

Miss  Anstice  looked  up  from  the  bevy  of  girls 
she  was  settling  in  ancther  barge.  "Alexia  Rhys," 
she  said  severely,  "you  must  be  quiet;  it  is  im 
possible  to  get  started  unless  all  you  girls  are 
going  to  be  tractable  and  obedient." 

"Miss   Anstice," — Alexia   formed   a   sudden 


THE    PICNIC  191 

bold  resolve,  —  "  please  come  here.  I  want  you 
very  much,"  she  said  sweetly. 

Miss  Anstice,  pleased  to  be  wanted  very  much, 
or  indeed  at  all,  left  her  work,  and  went  over  to 
the  front  barge  where  Alexia  was  raging  in 
wardly. 

"Miss  Anstice,  I  need  Polly  Pepper  up  next 
to  me,"  said  Alexia,  "oh,  so  much.  She  knows 
all  about  my  arm,  you  know;  her  father  fixed  it 
for  me.  Will  you  please  have  her  come  up  here  ? 
Then  if  I  should  feel  worse,  she  could  help 
me." 

Miss  Anstice  peered  here  and  there  in  her  near 
sighted  fashion.  "I  don't  see  Polly  Pepper,"  she 
said. 

"There  she  is;  there  she  is,"  cried  Alexia, 
trembling  in  every  limb,  for  her  plan  could  not 
be  said  to  be  a  complete  success  yet,  and  point 
ing  eagerly  to  the  end  of  her  barge;  "she's  the 
fourth  from  the  door,  Miss  Anstice.  Oh,  how 
lovely  you  are!" 

Miss  Anstice,  quite  overcome  to  be  told  she 
was  lovely,  and  especially  by  Alexia,  who  had 
previously  given  her  no  reason  to  suppose  that 
she  entertained  any  such  opinion,  went  with  great 
satisfaction  down  the  length  of  the  barge,  and 


192     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS   AT    SCHOOL 

standing  on  her  tiptoes,  said  very  importantly, 
"Polly  Pepper,  I  want  to  place  you  differently." 

So  Polly,  quite  puzzled,  but  very  obedient, 
crawled  out  from  her  seat,  where  she  was  wedged 
in  between  two  girls  not  of  her  set,  who  had  been 
perfectly  radiant  at  their  good  fortune,  and  clam 
bering  down  the  steps,  was,  almost  before  she 
knew  it,  installed  up  on  the  front  row,  by  Alexia's 
side. 

"Oh  Polly,  what  richness!  "  exclaimed  that  in 
dividual  in  smothered  accents,  as  Miss  Anstice 
stepped  off  in  much  importance,  and  hugging 
Polly.  "I'm  so  glad  my  sling  is  on,  for  I  never'd 
gotten  you  up  here  without  the  old  thing,"  and 
she  giggled  as  she  told  the  story. 

"Oh  Alexia!"   exclaimed  Polly,  quite  shocked. 

"Well,  I  may  get  a  relapse  in  it,  you  don't 
know,"  said  Alexia  coolly,  "so  you  really  ought 
to  be  up  here.  Oh  my  goodness  me!  I  forgot 
this  man,"  she  brought  up  suddenly.  "Do  you 
suppose  he'll  tell?"  She  peered  around  anx 
iously  past  Polly. 

"Ef  you'll  set  still,  I  won't  tell  that  teacher," 
said  the  old  man  with  a  twinkle  in  his  eye,  "but 
ef  you  get  to  carryin'  on,  as  I  should  think  you 
could  ef  you  set  out  to,  I'll  up  an'  give  the  whole 
thing  to  her." 


THE   PICNIC  193 

"Oh,  I'll  sit  as  still  as  a  mouse,"  promised 
Alexia.  "  Oh  Polly,  isn't  he  a  horrible  old  thing! " 
in  a  stage  whisper  under  cover  of  the  noise  going 
on  around  them. 

"Hush,"  said  Polly. 

"Well,  I'm  not  going  to  hush,"  cried  Alexia 
recklessly;  "I'm  going  to  have  a  good  time  at 
the  picnic  to-day,  and  do  just  everything  I  want 
to,  so  there,  Polly  Pepper!" 

"Very  well,"  said  Polly,  "then  when  we  get  to 
the  Glen,  I  shall  go  off  with  the  other  girls, 
Alexia,"  which  had  the  desired  effect.  Alexia 
curled  up  into  her  corner,  and  hanging  to  Polly 
Pepper's  arm,  was  just  like  a  mouse  for  quiet. 
And  off  they  went;  the  old  man's  whip  going 
crack  —  snap !  as  he  led  the  way  with  a  grand 
flourish,  as  much  better  than  his  efforts  of  former 
years,  as  was  possible! 

The  road  led  through  winding,  woodsy  paths, 
redolent  of  sweet  fern;  the  girls  never  tired  of 
its  delights,  exclaiming  ,t  all  the  sights  and 
sounds  of  country  life  at  all  such  moments  as 
were  not  filled  to  the  brim  with  the  songs  that 
ran  over  from  their  happy  hearts.  So  on  and  up 
they  went  to  the  Glen,  a  precipitous  ravine  some 
fifteen  miles  out  from  the  city. 


194     FIVE    LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

When  the  barges  finally  drew  up  with  another 
grand  flourish  at  the  entrance,  a  smooth  grassy 
plateau  shaded  by  oaks  and  drooping  elms,  they 
simply  poured  out  a  stream  of  girls  from  each 
conveyance ;  the  old  man  and  his  companion  driv 
ers  laughing  to  see  them  tumble  out.  "Pretty 
quick  work,  eh,  Bill?"  said  old  man  Kimball, 
"no  screaming  for  first  places  now." 

"It's  the  same  beautiful,  dear  old  Glen!"  ex 
claimed  Polly,  with  kindling  eyes  and  dancing 
feet.  "Oh  Alexia,  come  on!"  and  seizing  the 
well  hand,  they  spun  round  and  r^und,  unable  to 
keep  still,  having  plenty  of  company,  all  the  other 
girls  following  suit. 

Polly  looked  at  her  little  watch.  "In  five  min 
utes  we  must  stop.  It'll  be  time  to  get  the 
flowers." 

"Oh,  can  we?"  cried  Alexia.  "Misery  me! 
I'm  so  tired  cooped  up  in  that  barge,  I  reel  stiff 
as  a  jointed  doll,  Polly  Pepper." 

"Well,  I  don't,"  said  Polly,  dancing  away  for 
dear  life.  "  Oh  Alexia,  when  Miss  Salisbury 
gives  the  signal  to  explore,  won't  it  be  just  fun!" 

"I  should  say,"  cried  Alexia,  unable  to  find 
words  that  would  just  express  the  case. 

There  was  always  one  routine  to  be  observed 


THE   PICNIC  195 

in  the  annual  picnic  of  the  "  Salisbury  School," 
and  no  one  thought  for  a  moment  of  deviating 
from  it.  The  maids  collected  the  baskets  taken 
from  the  wagons,  and  set  them  in  a  cool,  shady 
place  among  the  rocks  just  within  the  Glen.  The 
girls  ran  hither  and  thither  to  collect  flowers  and 
ferns  to  drape  Miss  Salisbury's  seat  of  honor,  and 
one  as  near  like  it  as  possible  for  Miss  Anstice. 
These  were  big  crevices  in  the  rocks,  that  were  as 
comfortable  as  chairs,  and  having  backs  to  them 
in  the  shape  of  boulders,  they  were  truly  luxu 
rious.  Indeed,  Miss  Salisbury  had  declared, 
when  the  seats  were  discovered  by  Polly  Pepper 
at  the  first  picnic  after  she  joined  the  "Salisbury 
School,"  that  she  never  sat  in  one  more  comfort 
able;  and  she  was  so  pleased  when  she  was  led  to 
it  and  inducted  therein,  all  flower-trimmed  with 
little  vines  trailing  off,  and  arching  over  her  head. 

"Why,  my  dears!"  she  exclaimed,  quite  over 
come.  "  Oh,  how  pretty !  and  how  did  you  think 
of  it?" 

"It  was  Polly  Pepper  who  thought  of  it,"  said 
a  parlor  boarder.  And  Polly,  blushing  rosy  red, 
a  new  girl  as  she  was,  was  led  up,  and  Miss  Salis 
bury  set  a  kiss  on  her  round  cheek.  Polly  never 
forgot  how  happy  she  was  that  day. 


196     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT   SCHOOL 

And  afterward,  when  the  girls  were  busy  in 
various  little  groups,  Miss  Salisbury  had  beck 
oned  Polly  to  her  side  where  she  reposed  on  her 
throne;  for  it  was  beautiful  and  stately  enough 
for  one,  and  quite  worthy  of  royalty  itself. 

"Polly,"  said  Miss  Salisbury,  in  quite  a  low 
tone  only  fitted  for  Polly's  ear,  "do  you  think  you 
could  find  a  seat,  like  this  beautiful  one  of  mine, 
for  sister?  I  should  really  enjoy  it  so  very  much 
more  if  sister  had  one  also;  and  she  would  prize 
the  attention  very  much,  Polly,  from  you 
girls." 

So  Polly,  fired  with  the  laudable  desire  to  find 
one  exactly  like  Miss  Salisbury's  very  own,  for 
"sister,"  at  last  was  just  so  fortunate.  So  that 
was  also  flo we :- trimmed,  with  trailing  vines  to 
finish  it  off  with.  And  every  year,  the  first  thing 
the  girls  did  after  dancing  around  a  bit  to  rest 
their  feet  after  the  long  drive,  was  to  set  to  work 
to  collect  the  vines  and  ferns,  and  decorate  the 
two  stone  seats. 

Then  with  quite  a  good  deal  of  pomp  and  cere 
mony,  the  girls  escorted  the  two  teachers  to  their 
thrones,  unpacked  the  little  bag  of  books  and 
magazines,  and  arranged  some  cushions  and 
shawls  about  them.  And  then  Miss  Salisbury 


THE    PICNIC  197 

always  said  with  a  sweet  smile,  "Thank  you,  my 
dears."  And  Miss  Ansticc  said  the  same;  al 
though,  try  as  hard  as  she  would,  her  smile  never 
could  be  sweet  like  Miss  Salisbury's.  And  then 
off  the  girls  would  go  to  "exploring,"  as  they 
called  rambling  in  the  Glen,  the  under-teachers 
taking  them,  in  charge. 

And  now  Polly  Pepper  ran  to  her  hamper, 
which  she  saw  in  a  pLe  where  the  baskets  had 
been  heaped  by  the  maids.  "There  it  is,"  point 
ing  to  the  tag  sticking  up;  "oh,  help  me,  —  not 
you,  Alexia,"  as  Alexia  ran  up  as  usual,  to  help 
forward  any  undertaking  Polly  Pepper  might  have 
in  mind.  "Dear  me!  you  might  almost  kill  your 
arm." 

"This  old  arm,"  cried  Alexia,  —  "I'm  sick  and 
tired  of  it." 

"Well,  you  better  take  care  of  it,"  cried  Polly 
gaily,  "and  then  it  won't  be  an  old  arm,  but  it 
will  be  as  good  as  brand  new,  Alexia.  Oh,  one 
of  the  other  girls,  do  come  and  help  me." 

"What  do  you  want,  Polly?"  cried  some  of 
the  girls,  racing  up  to  her. 

"I  want  to  get  out  my  hamper,"  said  Polly, 
pointing  to  the  tag  sticking  up  "high  and  dry" 
amid  a  stack  of  baskets.  "My  tin  botany  case 


198     FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

is  in  it;  I  must  get  the  ferns  I  promised  to  bring 
home  to  Phronsie." 

"You  stand  away,  all  of  ye."  The  old  man 
Kimball,  his  horses  out  of  the  shafts,  and  well 
taken  care  of,  now  drew  near,  and  swept  off  with 
his  ample  hand  the  bunch  of  girls.  "Which  one 
is't?  Oh,  that  ere  one  with  the  tag,"  answering 
his  own  question.  "Well,  now,  I'll  git  that  for 
you  jest  as  easy  as  rolling  off  a  log.  One  —  two 
—  three  —  there  she  comes!" 

And,  one,  two,  three,  and  here  she  did  come! 
And  in  a  trice  Polly  had  the  cover  up,  and  out  flew 
the  little  green  tin  botany  case;  and  within  it  being 
an  iron  spoon  and  little  trowel,  off  flew  Poliy  on 
happy  feet  to  unearth  the  treasures  that  were  to 
beautify  Phronsie's  little  garden;  a  bunch  of  girls 
following  to  see  the  operation. 

The  magazine  fell  idly  to  the  lap  of  Miss 
Salisbury.  She  sat  dreamily  back,  resting  her 
head  against  the  boulder.  "Sister,"  she  said 
softly,  "this  is  a  happy  custom  we  have  started. 
I  trust  nothing  will  ever  prevent  our  holding  our 
annual  picnic." 

"Yes,"  said  Miss  Anstice  absently.  She  was 
very  much  interested  in  a  story  she  had  begun, 
and  she  hated  to  have  Miss  Salisbury  say  a  word- 


THE   PICNIC  199 

Although  she  had  on  a  stiff,  immaculate  white 
gown  (for  on  such  a  festival  as  the  annual  picnic, 
she  always  dressed  in  white),  still  she  was  not  in 
the  same  sweet  temper  that  the  principal  was  en 
joying,  and  she  held  her  thumb  and  finger  in 
the  place. 

"Yes,  the  picnic  is  very  good,"  she  said,  feel 
ing  that  something  was  expected  of  her,  "if  we 
didn't  get  worms  and  bugs  crawling  over  the 
tablecloth." 

"Oh  sister!"  exclaimed  Miss  Salisbury,  quite 
shocked;  "it  is  no  time  to  think  of  worms  and 
bugs,  I'm  sure,  on  such  a  beautiful  occasion  as 
this." 

"Still,  they  are  here,"  said  Miss  Anstice;  "there 
is  one  now,"  looking  down  at  the  hem  of  her 
gown.  "  Ugh  I  go  right  away,"  slapping  her  book 
at  it.  Then  her  thumb  and  finger  (lew  out,  and 
she  lost  her  place,  and  the  bug  ran  away,  and 
she  added  somewhat  tartly,  "For  my  own  taste, 
I  should  really  prefer  a  festival  in  the  school 
room." 

When  it  came  to  spreading  the  feast,  not  one 
of  the  maids  was  allowed  to  serve.  They  could 
unpack  the  hampers,  and  hand  the  dishes  and 
eatables  to  the  girls,  and  run,  and  wait,  and  tend. 


200     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT   SCHOOL 

But  no  one  but  the  Salisbury  girls  must  lay  the 
snowy  cloth,  dress  it  up  with  flowers,  with  little 
knots  at  the  corners,  concealing  the  big  stones 
that  kept   the  tablecloth  from  flapping  in  any 
chance  wind.     And  then  they  all  took  turns  in 
setting   the   feast   forth,    and   arranging   all   the 
goodies.     And  some  one  had  to  make  the  coffee, 
with  a  little  coterie  to  help  her.     The  crotched 
sticks  were  always  there  just  as  they  had  left 
them  where  they  hung  the  kettle  over  the  stone 
oven.     And   old   man    Kimball   set   one   of   the 
younger  drivers  to  make  the  fire  —  and  a  rousing 
good  one  it  was  —  where  they  roasted  their  corn 
and  potatoes.     And  another  one  brought  up  the 
water  from  the  spring  that  bubbled  up  clear  and 
cold  in  the  rocky  ravine,  so  when  all  was  ready 
it  was  a  feast  fit  for  a  king,  or  rather  the  queen 
and  her  royal  subjects. 

And  then  Miss  Salisbury  and  "sister"  were 
escorted  with  all  appropriate  ceremonies  down 
from  their  stone  thrones,  —  and  one  had  the  head 
and  the  other  the  foot  of  the  feast  spread  on 
the  grass,  —  to  sit  on  a  stone  draped  with  a  shawl, 
and  to  be  waited  on  lovingly  by  the  girls,  who 
threw  themselves  down  on  the  ground,  surround 
ing  the  snowy  cloth.  And  they  sat  two  or  three 


THE    PICNIC  201 

rows  deep;  and  those  in  the  front  row  had  to 
pass  the  things,  of  course,  to  the  back-row  girls. 

"  Oh,  you're  spilling  jelly-cake  crumbs  all  down 
my  back,"  proclaimed  Alexia,  with  a  shudder. 
"Rose  Harding,"  looking  at  the  girl  just  back 
of  her,  "can't  you  eat  over  your  own  lap,  pray 
tell?" 

"Well,  give  me  your  seat  then,"  suggested  Rose, 
with  another  good  bite  from  the  crumbly  piece 
in  her  hand,  "if  you  don't  like  what  the  back- 
row  girls  do." 

"No,  I'm  not  going  to,"  said  Alexia,  "catch 
me!  but  you  needn't  eat  all  over  my  hair.  Ugh! 
there  goes  another,"  and  she  squirmed  so  she 
knocked  off  the  things  in  her  neighbor's  as  well 
as  her  own  lap. 

"Oh  dear  me!  Keep  your  feet  to  yourself, 
Alexia  Rhys,"  said  the  neighbor;  "there  goes 
my  egg  in  all  the  dirt  —  and  I'd  just  gotten  it 
shelled." 

"All  the  easier  for  the  bugs,"  observed  Alexia 
sweetly;  "see,  they're  already  appropriating  it. 
And  I  guess  you'd  kick  and  wriggle  if  some  one 
put  jelly  cake  down  your  back,"  returning  to  her 
grievance,  —  "slippery,  slimy  jelly  cake,"  twist 
ing  again  at  the  remembrance. 


202     FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS   AT    SCHOOL 

"Well,  you  needn't  kick  the  things  out  of  my 
lap.  I  didn't  put  the  jelly  cake  down  your  back," 
retorted  the  neighbor,  beginning  to  shell  her  sec 
ond  egg. 

Oh  dear!  was  ever  anything  quite  so  good  in 
all  this  world  as  that  feast  at  the  ''Salisbury 
picnic! " 

"I  didn't  suppose  those  baskets  could  bring 
out  so  much,  nor  such  perfectly  delicious  things," 
sighed  Polly  Pepper,  in  an  interval  of  rest  before 
attacking  one  of  Philena's  chocolate  cakes. 

"Polly,  Polly  Pepper,"  called  a  girl  opposite, 
"give  me  one  of  your  little  lemon  tarts.  You  did 
bring  'em  this  year,  didn't  you?"  anxiously. 

"Yes,  indeed,"  answered  Polly;  "why,  where 
are  they?"  peering  up  and  down  the  festal,  not 
"board,"  but  tablecloth. 

"Don't  tell  me  they  are  gone,"  cried  the  girl, 
leaning  over  to  look  for  herself. 

"I'm  afraid  they  are,"  said  Polly;  "oh,  I'm 
so  sorry,  Agatha!" 

"You  should  have  spoken  before,  my  child," 
said  a  parlor  boarder,  who  had  eaten  only  three 
of  Mrs.  Fisher's  tarts,  and  adjusting  her  eye 
glasses. 

"Why,   I've  only  just  gotten   through   eating 


THE   PICNIC  203 

bread  and  butter,"  said  Agatha.     "I  can't  eat 
cake  until  that's  done." 

"A  foolish  waste  of  time,"  observed  the  par 
lor  boarder;  "bread  and  butter  is  for  every  day; 
cake  and  custards  and  flummery  for  high  holi 
days,"  she  added  with  quite  an  air. 

"Hush  up,  do,"  cried  Alexia,  who  had  small 
respect  for  the  parlor  boarders  and  their  graces, 
"and  eat  what  you  like,  Penelope.  I'm  going  to 
ransack  this  table  for  a  tart  for  you,  Agatha." 

She  sent  keen,  bird-like  glances  all  up  and 
down  the  length  of  the  tablecloth.  "Yes,  no — 
yes,  it  is."  She  pounced  upon  a  lemon  tart  hid 
ing  under  a  spray  of  sweet  fern,  and  handed  it 
in  triumph  across.  "There  you  arc,  Agatha! 
now  don't  say  I  never  did  anything  for  you." 

"Oh,  how  sweet!"  cried  Agatha,  burying  her 
teeth  in  the  flaky  tart. 

"I  should  think  it  was  sour,"  observed  Amy 
Garrett;  "lemons  usually  are." 

"Don't  try  to  be  clever,  Amy  child,"  said 
Alexia,  "it  isn't  expected  at  a  picnic." 

"It's  never  expected  where  you  are,"  retorted 
Amy  sharply. 

"Oh  dear,  dear!  that's  pretty  good,"  cried 
Alexia,  nowise  disconcerted,  as  she  loved  a  joke 


204     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

just  as  much  at  herself  as  at  the  expense  of  any 
one  else,  while  the  others  burst  into  a  merry 
laugh. 

"  There's  one  good  thing  about  Alexia  Rhys," 
the  "  Salisbury  girls"  had  always  said,  "she  can 
take  any  amount  of  chaff,  and  not  stick  her 
ringer  in  her  eye  and  whimper." 

So  now  she  smiled  serenely.  "Oh  dear,  dear! 
I  wish  I  could  eat  some  more,"  she  said.  "I 
haven't  tasted  your  orange  jelly,  Clem,  nor  as 
much  as  looked  at  your  French  sandwiches,  Sil 
via.  What  is  the  reason  one  can  eat  so  very 
little  at  a  picnic,  I  wonder?"  She  drew  a  long 
breath,  and  regarded  them  all  with  a  very  injured 
expression. 

"Hear  that,  girls!"  cried  Silvia;  "isn't  that 
rich,  when  Alexia  has  been  eating  every  blessed 
minute  just  as  fast  as  she  could!" 

"I  suppose  that  is  what  we  all  have  been  do 
ing,"  observed  Alexia  placidly. 

Miss  Salisbury  had  been  a  happy  observer  of 
all  the  fun  and  nonsense  going  on  around  her, 
and  renewing  her  youth  when  she  had  dearly 
loved  picnics;  but  it  was  not  so  with  Miss  An- 
stice.  At  the  foot  of  the  festal  tablecloth,  she 
had  been  viewing  from  the  corners  of  her  eyes  the 


THE   PICNIC  205 

inroads  of  various  specimens  of  the  insect  cre 
ation  and  several  other  peripatetic  creatures  that 
seemed  to  belong  to  no  particular  species  but  to 
a  new  order  of  beings  originated  for  this  very 
occasion.  She  had  held  herself  in  bravely,  al 
though  eating  little,  being  much  too  busy  in  keep 
ing  watch  of  these  intruders,  who  all  seemed 
bent  on  running  over  her  food  and  her  person, 
to  hide  in  all  conceivable  folds  of  her  white 
gown.  And  she  was  now  congratulating  herself 
on  the  end  of  the  feast,  which  about  this  time 
should  be  somewhere  in  sight,  when  a  goggle- 
eyed  bug,  at  least  so  it  seemed  to  her  distraught 
v>ion,  pranced  with  agile  steps  directly  for  her 
lap,  to  disappear  at  once.  And  it  got  on  to  her 
nerves. 

"Oh  —  owl  Take  it  off."  Miss  Anstice  let 
her  plate  fly,  and  skipped  to  her  feet.  But  look 
ing  out  for  the  goggle-eyed  bug,  she  thought  of 
little  else,  and  stepped  into  some  more  of  the 
jelly  cake  —  slipped,  and  precipitated  herself  into 
the  middle  of  the  feast. 


XIV    MISS   SALISBURY'S    STORY 

OH   Miss   Anstice!"    cried   the   "Salisbury 
girls,"  jumping  to  their  feet. 

"Sister!  "  exclaimed  Miss  Salisbury,  dropping 
her  plate,  and  letting  all  her  sweet,  peaceful 
reflections  fly  to  the  four  winds. 

"I  never  did  regard  picnics  as  pleasant  af 
fairs,"  gasped  Miss  Anstice,  as  the  young  hands 
raised  her,  "and  now  they  are  —  quite  —  quHe 
detestable."  She  looked  at  her  gown,  alas!  no 
longer  immaculate. 

"If  you  could  wipe  my  hands  first,  young 
ladies,"  sticking  out  those  members,  on  which 
were  plentiful  supplies  of  marmalade  and  jelly 
cake,  "I  should  be  much  obliged.  Never  mind 
the  gown  yet,"  she  added  with  asperity. 

"I'll  do  that,"  cried  Alexia,  flying  at  her  with 
two  or  three  napkins. 

"Alexia,  keep  your  seat."     Miss  Anstice  turned 
on  her.     "It  is  quite  bad  enough,  without  your 
heedless  fingers  at  work  on  it." 
206 


I    NEVER    DID    REGARD    PICNICS    AS     PLEASANT    AFFAIRS," 
GASPED    MISS    AN  STICK. 


MISS    SALISBURY'S    STORY  207 

"I  won't  touch  the  old  thing,"  declared  Alexia, 
in  a  towering  passion,  and  forgetting  it  was  not 
one  of  the  girls.  "And  I  may  be  heedless,  but  I 
can  be  polite,"  and  she  threw  down  the  napkins, 
and  turned  her  back  on  the  whole  thing. 

"Alexia!"  cried  Polly,  turning  very  pale;  and, 
rushing  up  to  her,  she  bore  her  away  under  the 
trees.  "Why,  Alexia  Rhys,  you've  talked  aw 
fully  to  Miss  Anstice  —  just  think,  the  sister  of 
our  Miss  Salisbury!" 

"Was  that  old  thing  a  Salisbury?"  asked 
Alexia,  quite  unmoved.  "I  thought  it  was  a 
rude  creature  that  didn't  know  what  it  was  to 
have  good  manners." 

"Alexia,  Alexia!"  mourned  Polly,  and  for  the 
first  time  in  Alexia's  remembrance  wringing  her 
hands,  "to  think  you  should  do  such  a  thing!" 

Alexia,  seeing  Polly  wring  her  hands,  felt  quite 
aghast  at  herself.  "Polly,  don't  do  that,"  she 
begged. 

"Oh,  I  can't  help  it."  And  Polly's  tears  fell 
fast. 

Alexia  gave  her  one  look,  as  she  stood  there 
quite  still  and  pale,  unable  to  stop  the  tears  racing 
over  her  cheeks,  turned,  and  fled  with  long  steps 
back  to  the  crowd  of  girls  surrounding  poor  Miss 


208     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

Anstice,  Miss  Salisbury  herself  wiping  the  linen 
gown  with  an  old  napkin  in  her  deft  fingers. 

"I  beg  your  pardon,"  cried  Alexia  gustily, 
and  plunging  up  unsteadily.  "I  was  bad  to  say 
such  things." 

"You  were,  indeed,"  Assented  Miss  Anstice 
tartly.  " Sister,  that  is  quite  enough;  the  gown 
cannot  possibly  be  made  any  better  with  your 
incessant  rubbing." 

Miss  Salisbury  gave  a  sigh,  and  got  up  from 
her  knees,  and  put  down  the  napkin.  Then  she 
looked  at  Alexia.  "She  is  very  sorry,  sister," 
she  said  gently.  "I  am  sure  Alexia  regrets  ex 
ceedingly  her  hasty  speech." 

" Hasty?"  repeated  Miss  Anstice,  with  acri 
mony,  "it  was  quite  impertinent;  and  I  cannot 
remember  when  one  of  our  young  ladies  has  done 
such  a  thing." 

All  the  blood  in  Alexia's  body  seemed  to  go  to 
her  sallow  cheeks  when  she  heard  that.  That 
she  should  be  the  first  and  only  Salisbury  girl  to 
be  so  bad,  quite  overcame  her,  and  she  looked 
around  for  Polly  Pepper  to  help  her  out.  And 
Polly,  who  had  followed  her  up  to  the  group, 
begged,  "Do,  dear  Miss  Anstice,  forgive  her." 
And  so  did  all  the  girls,  even  those  who  did  not 


MISS    SALISBURY'S    STORY  209 

«, 
like  Alcxia  one  bit,   feeling  sorry  for  her  now. 

Miss  Anstice  relented  enough  to  say,  "Well,  we 
will  say  no  more  about  it ;  I  dare  say  you  did  not 
intend  to  be  impertinent."  And  then  they  all 
sat  down  again,  and  everybody  tried  to  be  as  gay 
as  possible  while  the  feast  went  on. 

And  by  the  time  they  sang  the  "Salisbury 
School  Songs,"-— for  they  had  several  very  fine 
ones,  that  the  different  classes  had  composed,  — 
there  was  such  a  tone  of  good  humor  prevailing, 
everybody  getting  so  very  jolly,  that  no  one  look 
ing  on  would  have  supposed  for  a  moment  that  a 
single  unpleasant  note  had  been  struck.  And 
Miss  Anstice  tried  not  to  look  at  her  gown;  and 
Miss  Salisbury  had  a  pretty  pink  tinge  in  her 
cheeks,  and  her  eyes  were  blue  and  serene,  with 
out  the  tired  look  that  often  came  into  them. 

"Now  for  the  story  —  oh,  that  is  the  best  of 
all!"  exclaimed  Polly  Pepper,  when  at  last,  pro 
testing  that  they  couldn't  eat  another  morsel, 
they  all  got  up  from  the  feast,  leaving  it  to  the 
maids. 

"Isn't  it!"  echoed  the  girls.  "Oh,  dear  Miss 
Salisbury,  I  am  so  glad  it  is  time  for  you  to  tell 
it."  All  of  which  pleased  Miss  Salisbury  very 
much  indeed,  for  it  was  the  custom  at  this  an- 


210     FIVE    LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

nual  festival  to  wind  up  the  afternoon  with  a 
story  by  the  principal,  when  all  the  girls  would 
gather  at  her  feet  to  listen  to  it,  as  she  sat  in 
state  in  her  stone  chair. 

"Is  it?"  she  cried,  the  pink  tinge  on  her  cheek 
getting  deeper.  "Well,  do  you  know,  I  think  I 
enjoy,  as  much  as  my  girls,  the  telling  of  this 
annual  story." 

"Oh,  you  can't  enjoy  it  as  much"  said  one 
impulsive  young  voice. 

Miss  Salisbury  smiled  indulgently  at  her. 
"Well,  now,  if  you  are  ready,  girls,  I  will  begin." 

"  Oh,  yes,  we  are  —  we  are,"  the  bright  groups, 
scattered  on  the  grass  at  her  feet,  declared. 

"To-day  I  thought  I  would  tell  you  of  my 
school  days  when  I  was  as  young  as  you,"  began 
Miss  Salisbury. 

"Oh  —  oh!" 

"Miss  Salisbury,  I  just  love  you  for  that!" 
exclaimed  the  impulsive  girl,  and  jumping  out  of 
her  seat,  she  ran  around  the  groups  to  the  stone 
chair.  "I  do,  Miss  Salisbury,  for  I  did  so  want 
to  hear  all  about  when  you  were  a  schoolgirl." 

"Well,  go  back  to  your  place,  Fanny,  and  you 
shall  hear  a  little  of  my  school  life,"  said  Miss 
Salisbury  gently. 


MISS    SALISBURY'S    STORY  211 

"No  —  no;  the  whole  of  it,"  begged  Fanny 
earnestly,  going  slowly  back. 

"My  dear  child,  I  could  not  possibly  tell  you 
the  whole,"  said  Miss  Salisbury,  smiling;  "it 
must  be  one  little  picture  of  my  school  days." 

"Do  sit  down,  Fanny,"  cried  one  of  the  other 
girls  impatiently;  "you  are  hindering  it  all." 

So  Fanny  flew  back  to  her  place,  and  Miss  Sal 
isbury  without  any  more  interruptions,  began: 

"You  see,  girls,  you  must  know  to  begin  with, 
that  our  father  • —  sister's  and  mine  —  was  a 
clergyman  in  a  small  country  parish;  and  as 
there  were  a  great  many  mouths  to  feed,  and 
young,  growing  minds  to  feed  as  well,  besides 
ours,  why  there  was  a  great  deal  of  considering 
as  to  ways  and  means  constantly  going  on  at  the 
parsonage.  Well,  as  I  was  the  eldest,  of  course 
the  question  came  first,  what  to  do  with  Amelia." 

"Were  you  Amelia?"  asked  Fanny. 

"Yes.  Well,  after  talking  it  over  a  great  deal, 
—  and  I  suspect  many  sleepless  nights  spent  by 
my  good  father  and  mother,  —  it  was  at  last  de 
cided  that  I  should  be  sent  to  boarding  school; 
for  I  forgot  to  tell  you,  I  had  finished  at  the 
academy." 

"Yes;  sister  was  very  smart,"  broke  in  Miss 


2i2     FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

Anstice   proudly  —  "she  won't  tell  you  that;  so 
I  must." 

"Oh  sister,  sister,"  protested  Miss  Salisbury. 

"Yes,  she  excelled  all  the  boys  and  girls." 

"Did  they  have  boys  at  that  school?"  inter 
rupted  Philena,  in  amazement.  "Oh,  how  very 
nice,  Miss  Salisbury!" 

"I  should  just  love  to  go  to  school  with  boys," 
declared  ever  so  many  of  the  girls  ecstatically. 

"Why  don't  you  take  boys  at  our  school,  Miss 
Salisbury?"  asked  Silvia  longingly. 

Miss  Anstice  looked  quite  horrified  at  the  very 
idea;  but  Miss  Salisbury  laughed.  "It  is  not 
the  custom  now,  my  dear,  in  private  schools.  In 
my  day  — '  you  must  remember  that  was  a  long 
time  ago  —  there  were  academies  where  girls  and 
boys  attended  what  would  be  called  a  high  school 
now." 

"Oh!" 

"And  I  went  to  one  in  the  next  town  until  it 
was  thought  best  for  me  to  be  sent  to  boarding 
school." 

"And  she  was  very  smart;  she  took  all  the 
prizes  at  the  academy,  and  the  principal  said  — " 
Miss  Anstice  was  herself  brought  up  quickly  by 
her  sister. 


MISS    SALISBURY'S    STORY  213 

"  If  you  interrupt  so  much,  I  never  shall  finish 
my  story,  Ansticc,"  she  said. 

"I  want  the  girls  to  understand  this,"  said 
Miss  Anstice  with  decision.  "The  principal  said 
she  was  the  best  educated  scholar  he  had  ever 
seen  graduated  from  Hilltop  Academy." 

"Well,  now  if  you  have  finished,"  said  Miss 
Salisbury,  laughing,  "I  will  proceed.  So  I  was 
despatched  by  my  father  to  a  town  about  thirty 
miles  away,  to  a  boarding  school  kept  by  the 
widow  of  a  clergyman  who  had  been  a  college 
classmate.  Well,  I  was  sorry  to  leave  all  my 
young  brothers  and  sisters,  you  may  be  sure, 
while  my  mother  —  girls,  I  haven't  even  now  for 
gotten  the  pang  it  cost  me  to  kiss  my  mother 
good-bye." 

Miss  Salisbury  stopped  suddenly,  and  let  her 
gaze  wander  off  to  the  waving  tree- tops;  and  Miss 
Anstice  fell  into  a  revery  that  kept  her  face 
turned  away. 

"But  it  was  the  only  way  I  could  get  an  edu 
cation;  and  you  know  I  could  not  be  fitted  for  a 
teacher,  which  was  to  be  my  life  work,  unless  I 
went;  so  I  stifled  all  those  dreadful  feelings  which 
anticipated  my  homesickness,  and  pretty  soon  I 
found  myself  in  the  boarding  school." 


2i4     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"How  many  scholars  were  there,  Miss  Salis 
bury?"  asked  Laura  Page,  who  was  very  exact. 
"Fifteen  girls,"  said  Miss  Salisbury. 
"Oh  dear  me,  what  a  little  bit  of  a  school!" 
exclaimed  one  girl. 

"The  schools  were  not  as  large  in  those  days," 
said  Miss  Salisbury.  "You  must  keep  in  mind 
the  great  difference  between  that  time  and  this, 
my  dear.  Well,  and  when  I  was  once  there,  I 
had  quite  enough  to  do  to  keep  me  from  being 
homesick,  I  can  assure  you,  through  the  day; 
because,  in  addition  to  lessons,  there  was  the 
sewing  hour." 

"Sewing?  Oh  my  goodness  me!"  exclaimed 
Alexia.  "You  didn't  have  to  sew  at  that  school, 
did  you,  Miss  Salisbury?" 

"I  surely  did,"  replied  Miss  Salisbury,  "and 
very  glad  I  have  been,  Alexia,  that  I  learned  so 
much  in  that  sewing  hour.  I  have  seriously 
thought,  sister  and  I,  of  introducing  the  plan  into 
our  school." 

"Oh,  don't,  Miss  Salisbury,"  screamed  the 
girls.  "Pie  —  ase  don't  make  us  sew."  Some 
of  them  jumped  to  their  feet  in  distress. 

"I  shall  die,"  declared  Alexia  tragically,  "if  we 
have  to  sew." 


MISS    SALISBURY'S    STORY  215 

There  was  such  a  general  gloom  settled  over 
the  entire  party  that  Miss  Salisbury  hastened  to 
say,  "I  don't  think,  girls,  we  can  do  it,  because 
something  else  equally  important  would  have  to 
be  given  up  to  make  the  time."  At  which  the 
faces  brightened  up. 

"Well,  I  was  only  to  stay  at  this  school  a  year," 
went  on  Miss  Salisbury,  "  because,  you  see,  it  was 
as  much  as  my  father  could  do  to  pay  for  that 
time;  so  it  was  necessary  to  use  every  moment  to 
advantage.  So  I  studied  pretty  hard;  and  I  pre 
sume  this  is  one  reason  why  the  incident  I  am 
going  to  tell  you  about  was  of  such  a  nature;  for 
I  was  over- tired,  though  that  should  be  no  ex 
cuse,"  she  added  hastily. 

"Oh  sister,"  said  Miss  Anstice  nervously, 
14  don't  tell  them  that  story.  I  wouldn't." 

"It  may  help  them,  to  have  a  leaf  out  of  an 
other  young  person's  life,  Anstice,"  said  Miss 
Salisbury,  gravely. 

"Well,  but—" 

"And  so,  every  time  when  I  thought  I  must 
give  up  and  go  home,  I  was  so  hungry  to  see  my 
father  and  mother,  and  the  little  ones — " 

"Was  Miss  Anstice  one  of  the  little  ones?" 
asked  Fanny,  with  a  curious  look  at  the  crow's- 
feet  and  faded  eyes  of  the  younger  Miss  Salisbury, 


216     FIVE    LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"Yes,  she  was:  there  were  two  boys  came  in 
between;  then  Anstice,  then  Jane,  Harriett, 
Lemuel,  and  the  baby." 

"Oh  my!"  gasped  Alexia,  tumbling  over  into 
Polly  Pepper's  lap. 

"Eight  of  us;  so  you  see,  it  would  never  do 
for  the  one  who  was  having  so  much  money 
spent  upon  her,  to  waste  a  single  penny  of  it. 
When  I  once  got  to  teaching,  I  was  to  pay  it  all 
back." 

"And  did  you  —  did  you?"  demanded  curious 
Fanny. 

"Did  she?  —  oh,  girls!"  It  was  Miss  Anstice 
who  almost  gasped  this,  making  every  girl  turn 
around. 

"Never  mind,"  Miss  Salisbury  telegraphed 
over  their  heads,  to  "  sister,"  which  kept  her 
silent.  But  she  meant  to  tell  sometime. 

Polly  Pepper,  all  this  time,  hadn't  moved,  but 
sat  with  hands  folded  in  her  lap.  What  if  she 
had  given  up  and  flown  home  to  Mamsie  and  the 
little  brown  house  before  Mr.  King  discovered 
her  homesickness  and  brought  Phronsie!  Sup 
posing  she  hadn't  gone  in  the  old  stagecoach  that 
day  when  she  first  left  Badgertown  to  visit  in 
Jasper's  home!  Just  supposing  it!  She  turned 


MISS    SALISBURY'S    STORY  217 

quite  pale,  and  held  her  breath,  while  Miss  Salis 
bury  proceeded. 

"And  now  comes  the  incident  that  occurred 
during  that  boarding-school  year,  that  I  have  in 
tended  for  some  time  to  tell  you  girls,  because  it 
may  perhaps  help  you  in  some  experience  where 
you  will  need  the  very  quality  that  I  lacked  on 
that  occasion." 

"Oh  sister!"  expostulated  Miss  Anstice. 

"It  was  a  midwinter  day,  cold  and  clear  and 
piercing."  Miss  Salisbury  shivered  a  bit,  and 
drew  the  shawl  put  across  the  back  of  her  stone 
seat,  closer  around  her.  "Mrs.  Ferguson  —  that 
was  the  name  of  the  principal  —  had  given  the 
girls  a  holiday  to  take  them  to  a  neighboring- 
town;  there  was  to  be  a  concert,  I  remember, 
and  some  other  treats;  and  the  scholars  were,  as 
you  would  say,  'perfectly  wild  to  go,5"  and  she 
smiled  indulgently  at  her  rapt  audience.  "Well, 
I  was  not  going." 

"Oh  Miss  Salisbury  1"  exclaimed  Amy  Gar- 
rctt  in  sorrow,  as  if  the  disappointment  were  not 
forty  years  in  the  background. 

"No.  I  decided  it  was  not  best  for  me  to  take 
the  money,  although  my  father  had  written  me 
that  I  could,  when  the  holiday  had  been  planned 


218     FIVE    LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

some  time  before.  And  besides,  I  thought  I 
could  do  some  extra  studying  ahead  while  the 
girls  were  away.  Understand,  I  didn't  really 
think  of  doing  wrong  then;  although  afterward  I 
did  the  wrong  thing." 

"Sister!"  reproved  Miss  Anstice.  She  could 
not  sit  still  now,  but  got  out  of  her  stone  chair, 
and  paced  up  and  down. 

"No;  I  did  not  dream  that  in  a  little  while 
after  the  party  had  started,  I  should  be  so  sorely 
tempted,  and  the  idea  would  enter  my  head  to 
do  the  wrong  thing.  But  so  it  was.  I  was  study 
ing,  I  remember,  my  philosophy  lesson  for  some 
days  ahead,  when  suddenly,  as  plainly  as  if  letters 
of  light  were  written  down  the  page,  it  flashed 
upon  my  mind, '  Why  don't  I  go  home  to-day  ?  I 
can  get  back  to-night,  and  no  one  will  know  it; 
at  least,  not  until  I  am  back  again,  and  no  harm 
done.*  And  without  waiting  to  think  it  out,  I 
clapped  to  my  book,  tossed  it  on  the  table,  and 
ran  to  get  my  poor  little  purse  out  of  the  bureau 
drawer." 

The  girls,  in  their  eagerness  not  to  lose  a  word, 
crowded  close  to  Miss  Salisbury's  knees,  forget 
ting  that  she  wasn't  a  girl  with  them. 

"I  had  quite  enough  money,  I  could  see,  to 


MISS    SALISBURY'S    STORY  219 

take  me  home  and  back  on  the  cars,  and  by  the 
stage." 

"  The  stage  ?  "  repeated  Alexia  faintly. 

"Yes;  you  must  remember  that  this  time  of 
which  I  am  telling  you  was  many,  many  years 
back.  Besides,  in  some  country  places,  it  is  still 
the  only  mode  of  conveyance  used." 

Polly  Pepper  drew  a  long  breath.  Dear  old 
Badgertown,  and  Mr.  Tisbett's  stage.  She  could 
see  it  now,  as  it  looked  when  the  Five  Little  Pep 
pers  would  run  to  the  windows  of  the  little  brown 
house  to  watch  it  go  lumbering  by,  and  to  hear 
the  old  stage-driver  crack  his  whip  in  greeting! 

"The  housekeeper  had  a  day  off,  to  go  to  her 
daughter's,  so  that  helped  my  plan  along,"  Miss 
Salisbury  was  saying.  "Well  would  it  have  been 
for  me  if  the  conditions  had  been  less  easy. 
But  I  must  hasten.  I  have  told  you  that  I  did 
not  pause  to  think;  that  was  my  trouble  in  those 
days :  I  acted  on  impulse  often,  as  schoolgirls  are 
apt  perhaps  to  do,  and  so  I  was  not  ready  to 
stand  this  sudden  temptation.  I  tied  on  my  bon 
net,  gathered  up  my  little  purse  tightly  in  my 
hand;  and  although  the  day  was  cold,  the  sun 
was  shining  brightly,  and  my  heart  was  so  full  of 
hope  and  anticipation  that  I  scarcely  thought  of 


220     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

what  I  was  doing,  as  I  took  a  thin  little  jacket 
instead  of  the  warm  cloak  my  mother  had  made 
me  for  winter  wear.  I  hurried  out  of  the  house, 
when  there  was  no  one  to  notice  me,  for  the 
maids  were  careless  in  the  housekeeper's  ab 
sence,  and  had  slipped  off  for  the  moment  —  at 
any  rate,  they  said  afterward  they  never  saw  me; 
—  so  off  I  went. 

"I  caught  the  eight  o'clock  train  just  in  time; 
which  I  considered  most  fortunate.  How  often 
afterward  did  I  wish  I  had  missed  it!  And  rea 
soning  within  myself  as  the  wheels  bore  me  away, 
that  it  was  perfectly  right  to  spend  the  money  to 
go  home,  for  my  father  had  been  quite  willing  for 
me  to  take  the  tr?at  with  Mrs.  Ferguson  and  the 
others,  I  settled  back  in  my  seat,  and  tried  not 
to  feel  strange  at  travelling  alone." 

"Oh  dear  me!"  exclaimed  the  girls,  huddling 
up  closer  to  Miss  Salisbury's  knees.  Miss  An- 
stice  paced  back  and  forth;  it  was  too  late  to 
stop  the  story  now,  and  her  nervousness  could 
only  be  walked  off. 

"  But  I  noticed  the  farther  I  got  from  the  board 
ing  school,  little  doubts  would  come  creeping 
into  my  mindj  —  first,  was  it  very  wise  for  me 
to  have  set  out  in  this  way  ?  then,  was  it  right  ? 


MISS    SALISBURY'S    STORY  221 

And  suddenly  in  a  flash,  it  struck  me  that  I  was 
doing  a  very  wrong  thing,  and  that,  if  my  father 
and  my  mother  knew  it,  they  would  be  greatly 
distressed.  And  I  would  have  given  worlds,  if 
I  had  possessed  them,  to  be  back  at  Mrs.  Fer 
guson's,  studying  my  philosophy  lesson.  And  I 
laid  my  head  on  the  back  of  the  seat  before  me, 
and  cried  as  hard  as  I  could." 

Amy  sniffed  into  her  handkerchief,  and  two  or 
three  other  girls  coughed  as  if  they  had  taken 
cold,  while  no  one  looked  into  her  neighbor's 
face. 

"And  a  wild  idea  crossed  my  mind  once,  of 
rushing  up  to  the  conductor  and  telling  him  of 
my  trouble,  to  ask  him  if  I  couldn't  get  off  at  the 
next  station  and  go  back;  but  a  minute's  reflec 
tion  told  me  that  this  was  foolish.  There  was 
only  the  late  afternoon  train  to  take  me  to  the 
school.  I  had  started,  and  must  go  on." 

A  long  sigh  went  through  the  group.  Miss 
Anstice  seemed  to  have  it  communicated  to  her, 
for  she  quickened  her  pace  nervously. 

"At  last,  after  what  seemed  an  age  to  me, 
though  it  wasn't  really  but  half  an  hour  since  we 
started,  I  made  up  my  mind  to  bear  it  as  well  as 
I  could;  father  and  mother  would  forgive  me, 


222     FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

I  was  sure,  and  would  make  Mrs.  Ferguson 
overlook  it— when  I  glanced  out  of  the  car  win 
dow.  Little  flakes  of  snow  were  falling  fast.  It 
struck  dismay  to  my  heart.  If  it  kept  on  like 
this,  —  and  after  watching  it  for  some  moments, 
I  had  no  reason  to  expect  otherwise,  for  it  was 
of  that  fine,  dry  quality  that  seems  destined  to 
last,  —  I  should  not  be  able  to  get  back  to  school 
that  afternoon.  Oh  dear  me!  And  now  I  began 
to  open  my  heart  to  all  sorts  of  fears:  the  train 
might  be  delayed,  the  stagecoach  slow  in  getting 
through  to  Cherryfield.  By  this  time  I  was  in  a 
fine  state  of  nerves,  and  did  not  dare  to  think 
further." 

One  of  the  girls  stole  her  hand  softly  up  to 
lay  it  on  that  of  the  principal,  forgetting  that  she 
had  never  before  dared  to  do  such  a  thing  in 
all  her  life.  Miss  Salisbury  smiled,  and  closed  it 
within  her  own. 

There  was  a  smothered  chorus  of  "Oh  dears!" 
"I  sat  there,  my  dears,  in  a  misery  that  saw 
nothing  of  the  beauty  of  that  storm,  knew  nothing, 
heard  nothing,  except  the  occasional  ejaculations 
and  remarks  of  the  passengers,  such  as,  'It's 
going  to  be  the  worst  storm  of  the  year/  and 
'It's  come  to  stay.' 


MISS    SALISBURY'S    STORY  223 

"  Suddenly,  without  a  bit  of  warning,  there  was 
a  bumping  noise,  then  the  train  dragged  slowly 
on,  then  stopped.  All  the  passengers  jumped  up, 
except  myself.  I  was  too  miserable  to  stir,  for  I 
knew  now  that  I  was  to  pay  finely  for  my  wrong 
doing  in  leaving  the  school  without  permission." 

"Oh  —  oh!"  the  girls  gave  a  little  scream. 

'"What  is  it  —  what  is  it?'  the  passengers 
one  and  all  cried,  and  there  was  great  rushing  to 
the  doors,  and  hopping  outside  to  ascertain  the 
trouble.  I  never  knew,  for  I  didn't  care  to 
ask.  It  was  enough  for  me  that  something  had 
broken,  and  the  train  had  stopped ;  to  start  again 
no  one  could  tell  when." 

The  sympathy  and  excitement  now  were  in 
tense.  One  girl  sniffed  out  from  behind  her 
handkerchief,  "I  —  I  should  have  —  thought  you 
would  —  have  died  —  Miss  Salisbury." 

"Ah!"  said  Miss  Salisbury,  with  a  sigh,  "you 
will  find,  Helen,  as  you  grow  older,  that  the  only 
thing  you  can  do  to  repair  in  any  way  the  mis 
chief  you  have  done,  is  to  keep  yourself  well  un 
der  control,  and  endure  the  penalty  without  wast 
ing  time  on  your  suffering.  So  I  just  made  up 
my  mind  now  to  this;  and  I  sat  up  straight,  de 
termined  not  to  give  way,  whatever  happened. 


224    FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"It  was  very  hard  when  the  impatient  pas 
sengers  would  come  back  into  the  car  to  ask  each 
other,  'How  soon  do  you  suppose  we  will  get  to 
Mayville?'  That  was  where  I  was  to  take  the 
stage. 

"Not  till  night,  if  we  don't  start,'  one  would 
answer,  trying  to  be  facetious;  but  I  would  torture 
myself  into  believing  it.  At  last  the  conductor 
came  through,  and  he  met  a  storm  of  inquiries, 
all  asking  the  same  question,  'How  soon  will  we 
get  to  May ville  ? ' 

"It  seemed  to  me  that  he  was  perfectly  heart 
less  in  tone  and  manner,  as  he  pulled  out  his 
watch  to  consult  it.  I  can  never  see  a  big  silver 
watch  to  this  day,  girls,  without  a  shiver." 

The  "Salisbury  girls"  shivered  in  sympathy, 
and  tried  to  creep  up  closer  to  her. 

"Well,  the  conductor  went  on  to  say,  that  there 
was  no  telling,  —  the  railroad  officials  never  com 
mit  themselves,  you  know,  —  they  had  tele 
graphed  back  to  town  for  another  engine  (he 
didn't  mention  that,  after  that,  we  should  be 
sidetracked  to  allow  other  trains  their  right  of 
way),  and  as  soon  as  they  could,  why,  they 
would  move.  Then  he  proceeded  to  move  him 
self  down  the  aisle  in  great  dignity.  Well,  mv 


MISS    SALISBURY'S    STORY  225 

dears,  you  must  remember  that  this  all  happened 
long  years  ago,  when  accidents  to  the  trains  were 
very  slowly  made  good.  We  didn't  get  into 
Mayville  until  twelve  o'clock.  If  everything  had 
gone  as  it  should,  we  ought  to  have  reached  there 
three  hours  before." 

"Oh  my  goodness  me!"  exploded  Alexia. 

"By  this  time,  the  snow  had  piled  up  fast. 
What  promised  to  be  a  heavy  storm  had  become 
a  reality,  and  it  was  whirling  and  drifting  dread 
fully.  You  must  remember  that  I  had  on  my 
little  thin  jacket,  instead — " 

"Oh  Miss  Salisbury!"  screamed  several  girls, 
"I  forgot  that." 

"Don't    tell    any    more,"    sobbed    another  — 
"don't,  Miss  Salisbury." 

"I  want  you  to  hear  this  story,"  said  Miss 
Salisbury  quietly.  "Remember,  I  did  it  all 
myself.  And  the  saddest  part  of  it  is  what  I 
made  others  suffer;  not  my  own  distress." 

"  Sister,  if  you  only  won't  proceed ! "  Miss  Ans- 
tice  abruptly  leaned  over  the  outer  fringe  of  girls. 

"I  am  getting  on  to  the  end,"  said  Miss  Salis 
bury,  with  a  smile.  "W^ell,  girls,  I  won't  pro 
long  the  misery  for  you.  I  climbed  into  that 
stage,  it  seemed  to  me,  more  dead  than  alive. 


226    FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

The  old  stage-driver,  showing  as  much  of  his 
face  as  his  big  fur  cap  drawn  well  over  his  ears 
would  allow,  looked  at  me  compassionately. 

"Sakes  alive!'  I  can  hear  him  now.  'Hain't 
your  folks  no  sense  to  let  a  young  thing  come 
out  in  that  way?' 

"I  was  so  stiff,  all  I  could  think  of  was,  that  I 
had  turned  into  an  icicle,  and  that  I  was  liable 
to  break  at  any  minute.  But  I  couldn't  let  that 
criticism  pass. 

"  'They  —  they  didn't  let  me  —  I've  come  from 
school,'  I  stammered. 

"He  looked  at  me  curiously,  got  up  from  his 
seat,  opened  a  box  under  it,  and  twitched  out  a 
big  cape,  moth-eaten,  and  well-worn  otherwise; 
but  oh,  girls,  I  never  loved  anything  so  much  in 
all  my  life  as  that  horrible  old  article,  for  it 
saved  my  life." 

A  long-drawn  breath  went  around  the  circle. 
"Here,  you  just  get  into  this  as  soon  as  the 
next  one,'  said  the  stage-driver  gruffly,  handing 
it  over  to  me  where  I  sat  on  the  middle  seat.  I 
needed  no  command,  but  fairly  huddled  myself 
within  it,  wrapping  it  around  and  around  me. 
And  then  I  knew  by  the  time  it  took  to  warm  me 
up,  how  very  cold  I  had  been. 


MISS    SALISBURY'S    STORY  227 

"And  every  few  minutes  of  the  toilsome  jour 
ney,  for  we  had  to  proceed  very  slowly,  the  stage- 
driver  would  look  back  over  his  shoulder  to  say, 
'  Be  you  gittin'  any  warmer  now  ? '  And  I 
would  say,  'Yes,  thank  you,  a  little.' 

"And  finally  he  asked  suddenly,  'Do  your 
folks  know  you're  comin'  ? '  And  I  answered, 
'No,'  and  I  hoped  he  hadn't  heard,  and  I  pulled 
the  cape  up  higher  around  my  face,  I  was  so 
ashamed.  But  he  had  heard,  for  he  whistled; 
and  oh,  girls,  that  made  my  head  sink  lower  yet. 
Oh  my  dears,  the  shame  of  wrong-doing  is  so 
terrible  to  bear! 

"Well,  after  a  while  we  got  into  Cherry  field, 
along  about  half-past  three  o'clock." 

"Oh  dear!"  exclaimed  the  young  voices. 

"I  could  just  distinguish  our  church  spire 
amid  the  whirling  snow;  and  then  a  panic  seized 
me.  I  must  get  down  at  some  spot  where  I 
would  not  be  recognized,  for  oh,  I  did  not  want 
any  one  to  tell  that  old  stage-driver  who  I  was, 
and  thus  bring  discredit  upon  my  father,  the 
clergyman,  for  having  a  daughter  who  had  come 
away  from  school  without  permission.  So  I 
mumbled  out  that  I  was  to  stop  at  the  Four 
Corners:  that  was  a  short  distance  from  the 
centre  of  the  village,  the  usual  stopping  place. 


228    FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"One  of  the  passengers  —  for  I  didn't  think  it 
was  necessary  to  prolong  the  story  to  describe 
the  two  women  who  occupied  the  back  seat — 
leaned  forward  and  said,  'I  hope,  Mr.  Cheese- 
well,  you  ain't  goin'  to  let  that  girl  get  out,  half 
froze  as  she's  been,  in  this  snowstorm.  You'd 
ought  to  go  out  o'  your  beat,  and  carry  her 
home.' 

Oh,  no  —  no,'  I  cried  in  terror,  unwinding 
myself  from  the  big  cape  and  preparing  to  de 
scend. 

"'Stop  there!'  roared  Mr.  Cheesewell  at  me. 
'Did  ye  s'pose  I'd  desert  that  child?'  he  said  to 
the  two  women.  'I'd  take  her  home,  ef  I  knew 
where  in  creation  'twas.' 

"She  lives  at  the  parsonage  —  she's  th> 
minister's  daughter,'  said  one  of  the  women 
quietly. 

"I  sank  back  in  my  seat  —  oh,  girls,  the  bit 
terness  of  that  moment !  —  and  as  well  as  I  could 
for  the  gathering  mist  in  my  eyes,  and  the  blind 
ing  storm  without,  realized  the  approach  to  my 
home.  But  what  a  home-coming! 

"I  managed  to  hand  back  the  big  cape,  and  to 
thank  Mr.  Cheesewell,  then  stumbled  up  the 
little  pathway  to  the  parsonage  door,  feeling 


MISS    SALISBURY'S    STORY  229 

every  step  a  misery,  with  all  those  eyes  watching 
me;  and  lifting  the  latch,  I  was  at  home! 

"  Then  I  fell  flat  in  the  entry,  and  knew  noth 
ing  more  till  I  found  myself  in  my  own  bed,  with 
my  mother's  face  above  me;  and  beyond  her, 
there  was  father." 

Every  girl  was  sobbing  now.  No  one  saw 
Miss  Anstice,  with  the  tears  raining  down  her 
cheeks  at  the  memory  that  the  beautiful  pros 
perity  of  all  these  later  years  could  not  blot  out. 

"Girls,  if  my  life  was  saved  in  the  first  place 
by  that  old  cape,  it  was  saved  again  by  one  per 
son." 

"Your  mother,"  gasped  Polly  Pepper,  with 
wet,  shining  eyes. 

"No;  my  mother  had  gone  to  a  sick  parish 
ioner's,  and  father  was  with  her.  There  was  no 
one  but  the  children  at  home;  the  bigger  boys 
were  away.  I  owe  my  life  really  to  my  sister 
Anstice." 

"  Don't  1"  begged  Miss  Anstice  hoarsely,  and 
trying  to  shrink  away.  The  circle  of  girls  whirled 
around  to  see  her  clasping  her  slender  hands 
tightly  together,  while  she  kept  her  face  turned 
aside. 

"Oh  girls,"  cried  Miss  Salisbury,  with  sudden 


23o    FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

energy,  uif  you  could  only  understand  what  that 
sister  of  mine  did  for  me!     I  never  can  tell  you. 
She  kept  back  her  own  fright,  as  the  small  chil 
dren  were  so  scared  when  they  found  me  lying 
there  in  the  entry,  for  they  had  all  been  in  the 
woodshed  picking  up  some  kindlings,  and  didn't 
hear  me  come  in.     And  she  thought  at  first  I 
was  dead,  but  she  worked  over  me  just  as  she 
thought  mother  would.     You  see  we  hadn't  any 
near  neighbors,   so   she   couldn't   call  any  one. 
And  at  last  she  piled  me  all  over  with  blankets 
just   where  I  lay,   for  she  couldn't   lift  me,   of 
course,  and  tucked  me  in  tightly;  and  telling  the 
children  not  to  cry,  but  to  watch  me,  she  ran  a 
mile,  or  floundered  rather  —  for  the  snow  was 
now  so  deep  —  to  the  doctor's  house." 

"Oh,  that  was  fine!"  cried  Polly  Pepper,  with 
kindling  eyes,  and  turning  her  flushed  face  with 
pride  on  Miss  Anstice.  When  Miss  Salisbury 
saw  that,  a  happy  smile  spread  over  her  face, 
and  she  beamed  on  Polly. 

"And  then,  you  know  the  rest;  for  of  course, 
when  I  came  to  myself,  the  doctor  had  patched 
me  up.  And  once  within  my  father's  arms, 
with  mother  holding  my  hand  —  why,  I  was  for 
given." 


MISS    SALISBURY'S    STORY  231 

Miss  Salisbury  paused,  and  glanced  off  over 
the  young  heads,  not  trusting  herself  to  speak. 

"And  how  did  they  know  at  the  school  where 
you  were?"  Fanny  broke  in  impulsively. 

"Father  telegraphed  Mrs.  Ferguson;  and  luck 
ily  for  me,  she  and  her  party  were  delayed  by 
the  storm  in  returning  to  the  school,  so  the  mes 
sage  was  handed  to  her  as  she  left  the  railroad 
station.  Otherwise,  my  absence  would  have 
plunged  her  in  terrible  distress." 

"Oh,  well,  it  all  came  out  rightly  after  all." 
Louisa  Frink  dropped  her  handkerchief  in  her 
lap,  and  gave  a  little  laugh. 

"  Came  out  rightly !  "  repeated  Miss  Salisbury 
sternly,  and  turning  such  a  glance  on  Louisa 
that  she  wilted  at  once.  "Yes,  if  you  can  forget 
that  for  days  the  doctor  was  working  to  keep  me 
from  brain  fever;  that  it  took  much  of  my  father's 
hard-earned  savings  to  pay  him;  that  it  kept  me 
from  school,  and  lost  me  the  marks  I  had  almost 
gained;  that,  worst  of  all,  it  added  lines  of  care 
and  distress  to  the  faces  of  my  parents;  and  that 
my  sister  who  saved  me,  barely  escaped  a  long 
fit  of  sickness  from  her  exposure." 

"Don't,  sister,  don't,"  begged  Miss  Anstice. 

"  Came  out  rightly  ?     Girls,  nothing  can  ever 


232     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

come  out  rightly,  unless  the  steps  leading  up  to 
the  end  are  right." 

"Ma'am,"  —  Mr.  Kimball  suddenly  appeared 
above  the  fringe  of  girls  surrounding  Miss  Salis 
bury, —  "  there's  a  storm  brewin';  it  looks  as  if 
'twas  comin'  to  stay.  I'm  all  hitched  up,  'n'  I 
give  ye  my  'pinion  that  we'd  better  be  movin'." 

With  that,  everybody  hopped  up,  for  Mr. 
KimbalPs  "'pinion"  was  law  in  such  a  case. 
The  picnic  party  was  hastily  packed  into  the 
barges,  —  Polly  carrying  the  little  green  botany 
case  with  the  ferns  for  Phronsie's  garden  care 
fully  on  her  lap,  —  and  with  many  backward 
glances  for  the  dear  Glen,  off  they  went,  as  fast 
as  the  horses  could  swing  along. 


XV    THE    BROKEN   VASE 

BUT  drive  as  they  might,  Mr.  Kimball  and 
his  assistants,  they  couldn't  beat  that  storm 
that  was  brewing.  It  came  up  rather  slowly,  to 
be  sure,  at  first,  but  very  persistently.  Evidently 
the  old  stage-driver  was  right.  It  was  "coming 
to  stay." 

"  Ye  see,  ma'am,  ef  we  hadn't  started  when  we 
did,  like  enough  we  couldn't  a  got  home  to-night," 
he  vouchsafed  over  his  shoulder  to  Miss  Salisbury, 
as  they  rattled  on. 

"Dear  me!"  she  exclaimed  at  thought  of  her 
brood.  Those  young  things  were  having  the  best 
of  times.  It  was  "wildly  exciting,"  as  Clem  For- 
sythe  said,  to  be  packed  in;  those  on  the  end  seats 
huddling  away  from  the  rain  as  much  as  possible, 
under  cover  of  the  curtains  buttoned  down  fast. 
And  hilarity  ran  high.  They  sang  songs ;  never 
quite  finishing  one,  but  running  shrilly  off  to 
others,  which  were  produced  on  several  different 
keys  maybe,  according  to  the  mood  of  the  singers. 
233 


234    FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

And  as  every  girl  wanted  to  sing  her  favorite  song, 
there  were  sometimes  various  compositions  being 
produced  in  different  quarters  of  the  big  stage, 
till  no  one  particular  melody  could  be  said  to  have 
the  right  of  way.  And  Miss  Salisbury  sat  in  the 
midst  of  the  babel,  and  smiled  as  much  as  her 
anxiety  would  allow,  at  the  merriment.  And  as 
it  was  in  this  stage,  so  the  other  stages  were  coun 
terparts.  And  the  gay  tunes  and  merry  laughter 
floated  back  all  along  the  cavalcade,  mingling 
harmoniously  with  the  rainfall. 

Suddenly  an  awful  clap  of  thunder  reverberated 
in  the  sky.  The  songs  ended  in  squeals  of  dis 
may,  and  the  laughter  died  away. 

"  Oh  —  oh  —  we're  going  to  have  a  thunder 
storm!"  screamed  more  than  one  girl,  huddling 
up  closer  to  her  next  neighbor,  to  clutch  her 
frantically. 

"Oh,  I'm  so  afraid  of  the  thunder!"  screamed 
Amy  Garrett. 

"You  goose,  it  won't  hurt  you."  Lucy  Ben 
nett,  whom  Amy  had  crouched  against,  gave  her 
a  little  push. 

"It  will.  It  will.  My  uncle  was  struck  once," 
said  Amy,  rebounding  from  the  push  to  grasp 
Lucy  frantically  around  the  neck. 


THE    BROKEN    VASE  235 

"You  nearly  choked  me  to  death,"  exclaimed 
Lucy,  untwisting  the  nervous  hands;  "don't  get 
so  scared.  Your  uncle  never  was  struck  by  the 
thunder,  and  we  haven't  had  any  lightning  yel; 
so  I  wouldn't  yell  till  we  do." 

"Well,  there  it  is  now,"  cried  Amy,  covering 
her  eyes.  And  there  it  was  now,  to  be  sure,  in 
a  blinding  flash;  to  le  followed  by  deeper  rolls 
of  thunder,  drowning  the  screams  of  the  fright 
ened  girls,  and  the  plunging  of  the  horses  that 
didn't  like  it  much  better. 

Mr.  Kimball  peered  out  and  squinted  to  the 
right  and  to  the  left  through  the  blinding  storm; 
then  he  turned  his  horses  suddenly  off  from  the 
road,  into  a  narrow  lane.  "  Oh,  why  do  you  ?" 
began  Miss  Salisbury.  But  this  remonstrance 
wouldn't  have  done  any  good  had  the  old  stage- 
driver  heard  it.  At  the  end  of  the  lane,  he  knew 
in  a  few  moments  they  would  all  arrive  at  a  big 
old-fashioned  mansion  where  shelter  could  not 
be  refused  them  under  such  circumstances.  Al 
though,  —  and  Mr.  Kimball  shook  within  him 
self  at  his  temerity,  —  under  any  other  condi 
tions  visitors  would  not  be  expected  nor  welcomed. 
For  Mr.  John  Clemcy  and  his  sister,  Miss  Ophelia, 
had  never  exhibited,  since  they  settled  down  in 


236     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS   AT    SCHOOL 

this  quiet  spot  after  leaving  their  English  home 
many  years  ago,  any  apparent  desire  to  make 
friends.  They  were  quite  sufficient  for  them 
selves  ;  and  what  with  driving  about,  —  which 
they  did  in  a  big  basket  phaeton,  or  behind  their 
solemn  pair  of  black  horses,  and  the  still  more 
solemn  coachman,  Isaac,  also  black,  —  and  in 
the  care  of  the  large  estate  and  the  big  brick 
mansion,  they  found  ample  occupation  for  their 
time  and  thoughts. 

Up  to  this  big  red  brick  mansion  now  plunged 
Mr.  Kimball  with  as  much  assurance  as  if  he 
were  not  quaking  dreadfully.  And  the  other 
stages  following  suit,  the  sudden  and  unusual 
uproar  brought  two  faces  to  the  windows,  and 
then  to  the  door. 

"May  we  all  git  out  and  go  into  your  barn?" 
roared  Mr.  Kimball,  peering  at  them  from  be 
neath  his  dripping  hat. 

There  was  an  awful  pause.  Mr.  Kimball 
clutched  his  old  leather  reins  desperately;  and 
Miss  Salisbury,  to  whom  had  come  faint  rumors 
of  the  chosen  isolation  of  the  brother  and  sister, 
felt  her  heart  sink  woefully. 

Mr.  John  Clemcy  stepped  out,  —  slender,  tall, 
with  white  hair  and  beard,  both  closely  cropped. 


THE    BROKEN    VASE  237 

He  had  a  pale,  aristocratic  face,  and  a  pair  of 
singularly  stern  eyes,  which  he  now  bent  upon 
the  old  stage- driver. 

''Brother,"  remonstrated  his  sister,  —  she 
looked  as  much  like  him  as  possible  in  face  and 
figure,  —  "'do  not  venture  out  in  this  driving 
storm." 

"No,"  said  Mr.  Clemcy,  "I  cannot  consent  to 
your  going  into  my  stable.  I  - 

"  'Taint  Christian,"  blurted  out  the  old  stage- 
driver,  "to  leave  human  bein's  out  in  sech  a 
pickle." 

"No,  I  am  aware  of  that,"  said  Mr.  John 
Clemcy,  without  a  change  of  countenance;  "and 
so  I  invite  you  all  to  come  into  my  house."  He 
threw  wide  the  door.  "My  sister,  Miss  Clemcy." 

Miss  Ophelia  stepped  forward  and  received 
them  as  if  she  had  specially  prepared  for  their 
visit,  and  with  such  an  air  of  distinction  that  it 
completely  overwhelmed  Miss  Salisbury,  so  that 
her  own  manners,  always  considered  quite  per 
fect  by  parents  and  friends  of  her  pupils,  paled 
considerably  in  contrast.  It  was  quite  like  enter 
ing  an  old  baronial  hall,  as  the  courtly,  aristo 
cratic  host  ushered  them  in;  and  the  girls,  not 
easily  overawed  by  any  change  of  circumstance, 


238     FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

who  had  tumbled  out  laughingly  from  the  stages 
despite  Miss  Salisbury's  nervous  endeavors  to 
quiet  them,  were  now  instantly  subdued. 

" Isn't  it  solemn!1'  whispered  Alexia,  hanging 
to  Polly  Pepper,  her  pale  eyes  roving  over  the 
armor,  and  old  family  portraits  almost  completely 
covering  the  walls  of  the  wide  hall. 

"Hush,"  whispered  Polly  back  again. 

"But  I  can't  breathe;  oh,  look  at  that  old 
horror  in  the  ruff.  Polly  —  look!"  she  pinched 
the  arm  she  grasped. 

Meantime,  although  there  were  so  many  girls, 
the  big  red  brick  mansion  seemed  quite  able  to 
contain  them  hospitably,  as  Mr.  and  Miss  Clemcy 
opened  door  after  door  into  apartments  that  ap 
peared  to  stretch  out  into  greater  space  beyond. 
When  at  last  the  company  had  been  distributed, 
Miss  Salisbury  found  her  voice.  "I  am  pained 
to  think  of  all  the  trouble  we  are  giving  you, 
Miss  Clemcy." 

"Do  not  mention  it."  Miss  Ophelia  put  up 
a  slender  arm,  from  which  fell  off  a  deep  flounce 
of  rare  old  lace.  The  hand  that  thus  came  into 
view  was  perfect;  and  Miss  Salisbury,  who  could 
recognize  qualities  of  distinction,  fell  deeply  in 
love  with  the  evidences  before  her. 


THE    BROKEN    VASE  239 

"Do  you  suppose  she  dresses  up  like  that  every 
day,  Silvia?"  whispered  Lucy  Bennett,  in  an 
awe-struck  voice. 

Silvia,  in  matters  of  dress  never  being  willing 
to  show  surprise,  preserved  her  composure. 
"That's  nothing,"  she  managed  to  say  indiffer 
ently:  "it  can't  be  real,  such  a  lot  of  it,  and 
around  her  neck  too." 

Down  into  the  old  colonial  kitchen,  with  its 
corner  fireplace,  wide  and  roomy,  and  bricked 
to  the  ceiling,  Mr.  Clrncy  led  the  way.  It  was 
a  big  room,  and  not  used  for  its  original  purpose; 
being  filled  with  cabinets,  and  shelves  on  which 
reposed  some  of  the  most  beautiful  specimens  of 
china  and  various  relics  and  curiosities  and  me 
mentos  of  travel,  Miss  Salisbury  thought  she 
had  ever  seen.  And  she  had  been  about  the 
world  a  good  bit;  having  utilized  many  of  her 
vacations,  and  once  or  twice  taking  a  year  off 
from  her  school  work,  for  that  purpose.  And 
being  singularly  receptive  to  information,  she  was 
the  best  of  listeners,  in  an  intelligent  way,  as  Mr. 
Clemcy  moved  about  from  object  to  object  ex 
plaining  his  collection.  He  seemed  perfectly  ab 
sorbed  in  it,  and,  as  the  girls  began  to  notice,  in 
his  listener  as  well. 


240     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT   SCHOOL 

Lucy  Bennett  was  frightfully  romantic,  and 
jumped  to  conclusions  at  once.  "Oh,  do  you 
suppose  he  will  marry  her?"  she  cried  under 
her  breath  to  Silvia,  as  the  two  kept  together. 

"Who?  What  are  you  talking  about?"  de 
manded  Silvia,  who  was  very  matter-of-fact. 

"Why,  that  old  man  —  Mr.  Whatever  his  name 
is,"  whispered  Lucy. 

"Mr.  Clemcy?  do  get  names  into  your  head, 
Lu,"  said  Silvia  crossly,  who  wanted  to  look  at 
things  and  not  be  interru]  ted  every  minute. 

"I  can't  ever  remember  names,  if  I  do  hear 
them,"  said  Lucy,  "so  what  is  the  use  of  my 
bothering  to  hear  them,  Sil?" 

"Well,  do  keep  still,"  said  Silvia,  trying  to 
twist  away  her  arm,  but  Lucy  clung  to  it. 

"Well,  I  can't  keep  still  either,  for  I'm  mortally 
afraid  he  is  —  that  old  man,  whatever  you  call 
him  —  going  to  marry  her." 

"Who?"   demanded  Silvia  sharply. 

"Our  Miss  Salisbury,  and—" 

"Lu  Bennett!"  Silvia  sat  down  in  the  first 
chair  she  could  find.  It  was  very  fortunate  that 
the  other  groups  were  so  absorbed  that  nobody 
noticed  them. 

"Oh,  you  do  say  such  perfectly  silly  things!" 


THE    BROKEN    VASE  241 

declared  Silvia,  smothering  the  peal  of  laughter 
that  nearly  escaped  her. 

"Well,  it  isn't  silly,"  cried  Lucy  in  an  angry 
whisper,  "and  it's  going  to  happen,  I  know,  and 
she'll  give  up  our  school  to  Miss  Anstice,  and 
come  and  live  here.  Oh  my ! "  She  looked  ready 
to  cry  on  the  spot.  "Look  at  them!" 

Now,  Silvia  had  called  Lucy  Bennett  "silly" 
hundreds  of  times,  but  now  as  she  looked  at  Mr. 
Clemcy  and  Miss  Salisbury,  she  began  to  have 
an  uneasy  feeling  at  her  heart.  "I  won't  go 
to  school  to  Miss  Anstice,"  she  declared  pas 
sionately.  Then  she  began  to  plan  immedi 
ately.  "I'll  get  mother  to  let  me  go  to  boarding 
school." 

"And  I'll  go  with  you,"  exclaimed  Lucy  radi 
antly.  All  this  was  in  stage  whispers,  such  a 
buzz  going  on  around  them  that  no  one  else 
could  possibly  catch  a  word.  And  so  in  just 
about  two  minutes,  they  had  their  immediate 
future  all  planned. 

"Well,  you  better  get  up  out  of  that  chair," 
said  Lucy  presently,  and  picking  at  Silvia's  sleeve. 

"I  guess  I'm  not  hurting  the  chair,"  said  Sil 
via,  squinting  sideways  at  the  high,  carved  back. 
"They  asked  us  in  here,  —  at  least  he  did." 


242     FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"Well,  he  didn't  ask  us  to  sit  down,"  said  Lucy 
triumphantly. 

"And  if  he's  going  to  marry  her,"  said  Silvia, 
in  a  convincing  whisper,  "I  guess  I  can  sit  in  all 
the  chairs  if  I  want  to." 

"Hush!"  warned  Lucy,  "here  comes  Miss 
Anstice." 

Miss  Anstice,  with  her  front  breadth  all  stained 
with  jelly  cake  and  marmalade,  was  wandering 
around,  quite  subdued.  It  was  pitiful  to  see  how 
she  always  got  into  the  thickest  of  the  groups  to 
hide  her  gown,  trying  to  be  sociable  with  the 
girls.  But  the  girls  not  reciprocating,  she  was 
at  last  taken  in  tow  by  Miss  Ophelia,  who  set 
about  showing  her  some  rare  old  china,  as  a 
special  attention. 

Now,  Miss  Anstice  cared  nothing  for  rare  old 
china,  or  indeed,  for  relics  or  curiosities  of  any 
sort;  but  she  was  very  meek  on  this  occasion, 
and  so  she  allowed  herself  to  be  led  about  from 
shelf  to  shelf;  and  though  she  said  nothing,  Miss 
Ophelia  was  so  enchanted  by  her  own  words  and 
memories,  as  she  described  in  a  fluent  and  loving 
manner  their  various  claims  to  admiration,  that 
she  tnought  the  younger  Miss  Salisbury  quite  a 
remarkable  person. 


THE    BROKEN    VASE  243 

"Show  her    the   Lowestoft  collection,  sister," 
called  Mr.  Jonn  Clemcy,  from  across  the  apart 
ment,  and  breaking  off  from  his  animated  dis 
cussion  over  an  old  Egyptian  vase,  in  which  Miss 
Salisbury  had  carried  herself  brilliantly. 

"I  will,  Brother  John,"  assented  Miss  Clemcy, 
with  great  affability.  "Now  here,"  and  she 
opened  the  door  to  its  cabinet,  "is  what  will  in 
terest  you  greatly,  I  think." 

Suddenly,  a  crash  as  of  breaking  porcelain 
struck  upon  the  ear.  Every  one  in  the  old  room 
jumped,  save  the  persons  who  might  be  supposed 
to  be  the  most  interested  —  Mr.  Clemcy  and  his 
sister.  Their  faces  did  not  change. 

Miss  Salisbury  deserted  the  Egyptian  vase. 
"Who,"  she  demanded,  hurrying  to  the  centre 
of  the  apartment,  a  red  spot  on  either  cheek, 
"has  done  this?" 

Mr.  John  Clemcy  followed  her.  "Do  not,  I 
beg,"  he  said  quietly,  "notice  it." 

"Notice  it!    after  your   extreme  hospitality  - 
oh!  which  one  of  my  scholars  can  have  forgot 
ten  herself  enough  to  touch  a  thing?" 

The  groups  parted  a  little,  just  enough  to  dis 
close  a  shrinking  figure.  It  was  Lily,  whose  curi 
ous  fingers  were  clasped  in  distress. 


244     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS   AT    SCHOOL 

"She  is  very  young,"  said  Miss  Clemcy  softly, 
as  Miss  Salisbury  detached  her  from  the  group, 
and  passed  into  another  room,  crying  as  if  her 
heart  would  break. 

Mr.  John  Clemcy  then  came  up  to  his  sister 
and  her  visitor.  "  Your  sister  must  not  take  it  so 
to  heart,"  he  said. 

Miss  Anstice  was  worn  out  by  this  time,  what 
with  her  gown,  and  now  by  this  terrible  thing 
that  would  bring  such  discredit  upon  their  school ; 
and  besides,  it  might  take  ever  so  much  from  their 
savings  to  replace,  for  Lily  was  poor,  and  was 
a  connection,  so  they  perhaps  would  have  to  help 
her  out.  She  therefore  could  find  no  words  at 
her  command,  except,  "Oh  dear  me!"  and  raised 
her  poor  eyes. 

Mr.  John  Clemcy  searched  her  face  intently, 
and  actually  smiled  to  reassure  her.  She  thought 
he  was  looking  at  her  gown;  so  she  mumbled 
faintly,  to  draw  off  his  attention,  "I  am  afraid 
it  was  very  valuable." 

He  didn't  tell  her  it  was  one  of  the  oldest  bits 
in  his  collection;  but  while  Miss  Clemcy  slipped 
off,  and  quietly  picked  up  every  piece  of  the 
broken  treasure,  he  turned  the  conversation,  and 
talked  rapidly  and  charmingly  upon  something, 


THE   BROKEN   VASE  245 

—  for  the  life  of  her,  Miss  Anstice  never  could 
tell  what. 

And  he  was  still  talking  when  Miss  Salisbury 
brought  back  Lily  by  the  hand,  red-eyed  anc1  still 
sniffling,  to  stumble  over  her  pleas  for  pardon. 
And  then,  the  storm  having  abated,  there  were 
instant  preparations  for  departure  set  in  motion. 
And  Mr.  Kimball  and  his  associates  helped  them 
into  their  vehicles,  Miss  Clemcy's  beautiful  old 
lace  showing  off  finely  on  the  great  porch  as 
she  bade  them  good-bye. 

"It  is  real,  I  guess,"  declared  Silvia,  looking 
closely  from  her  seat  next  to  Lucy.  "And,  oh 
dear  me,  isn't  this  too  horrible,  what  Lily 
Gushing  has  done?" 

Mr.  John  Clemcy  helped  the  ladies  in,  Miss 
Anstice  putting  forth  all  her  powers  to  enable  her 
to  ascend  the  steep  steps  without  disclosing  the 
front  breadth  of  her  gown.  Despite  her  best  en 
deavors,  she  felt  quite  sure  that  the  keen  eyes  of 
both  brother  and  sister  had  discovered  every 
blemish. 

Miss  Salisbury  sank  back  in  her  seat,  as  the 
barge  rolled  off,  quite  in  despair;  for  she  knew 
quite  well  that  the  broken  vase  was  one  of  the 
gems  of  the  collection. 


246     FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"Oh,  see  the  lovely  rainbow!"  The  girls' 
spirits  rose,  now  that  they  were  once  more  on 
the  move.  What  was  one  broken  vase,  after  all  ? 
Anc1  they  began  to  laugh  and  talk  once  more. 

uOh  dear!"  Polly  Pepper  glanced  back. 
:'Alexia,  this  will  just  about  kill  our  dear  Miss 
Salisbury!"  she  exclaimed. 

"Well,  I'm  clear  beat,"  Mr.  Kimball  was  say 
ing  to  himself,  as  nobody  paid  attention.  "You 
might  knock  me  over  with  a  feather!  To  think 
o'  that  old  reeduse  that  won't  know  nobody, 
him  nor  his  sister,  an'  is  so  hifalutin'  smart,  a- 
bustin'  out  so  polite  all  of  a  suddint." 


XVI   NEW   PLANS 

POLLY,"  said  Jasper,  "  could  you  come  into 
the  den?" 

"Why,  yes,  Jasper,"  she  cried,  in  surprise  at 
his  face.  "Oh,  has  anything  happened?" 

"No,"  he  said,  but  the  gloomy  look  did  not 
disappear.      "  Oh  Polly,  it's   too  bad  to  ask,  — 
were  you  going  to  study?"  with  a  glance  at  her 
armful  of  books. 

"No  —  that  is,  I  can  do  them  just  as  well  after 
dinner."  Polly  dropped  her  books  on  the  hall 
chair.  "Oh,  what  is  it,  Jasper?"  running  after 
him  into  the  den. 

"It's  just  this,  Polly,  I  hate  to  tell  you—" 
He  paused,  and  gloom  settled  worse  than  ever 
over  his  face. 

"Jasper,"  said  Polly  quite  firmly,  and  she  laid 
her  hand  on  his  arm,  "I  really  think  you  ought 
to  tell  me  right  away  what  is  on  your  mind." 

"Do  you  really,  Polly?"  Jasper  asked  eagerly. 

"Yes,    I    do,"    said    Polly,    "unless   you    had 
247 


248     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

rather  tell  Mamsie.     Perhaps  that  would  be  best, 
Jasper." 

"No,  I  don't  really  think  it  would  in  this  case, 
Polly.  I  will  tell  you."  So  he  drew  up  a  chair, 
and  Polly  settled  into  it,  and  he  perched  on  the 
end  of  the  table. 

"You  see,  Polly,"  he  began,  "I  hate  to  tell 
you,  but  if  I  don't,  why  of  course  you  can't  in 
the  least  understand  how  to  help." 

"No,  of  course  I  can't,"  said  Polly,  clasping 
her  hands  together  tightly,  and  trying  to  wait 
patiently  for  the  recital.  Oh,  what  could  it  be! 

"Well,  Pickering  isn't  doing  well  at  school," 
said  Jasper,  in  a  burst.  It  was  so  much  better 
to  have  it  out  at  once. 

"Oh  dear  me!"  exclaimed  Polly,  in  sorrow. 

"No,  he  isn't,"  said  Jasper  decidedly;  "it 
grows  worse  and  worse." 

"Dear  me!"  said  Polly  again. 

"And  now  Mr.  Faber  says  there  isn't  much 
hope  for  him,  unless  he  picks  up  in  the  last  half. 
He  called  me  into  his  study  to  tell  me  that  to 
day  —  wants  me  to  influence  him  and  all  that." 

All  the  hateful  story  was  out  at  last.  Polly 
sprang  out  of  her  chair. 

"You    don't    mean  —  you    can't    mean,    that 


NEW   PLANS  249 

Pickering  will  be  dropped,  Jasper?"  she  cried  as 
she  faced  him. 

"Worse  than  that,"  answered  Jasper  gloomily. 

"Worse  than  dropped!"  exclaimed  Polly  with 
wide  eyes. 

"To  be  dropped  a  class  wouldn't  kill  Pick;  so 
many  boys  have  had  that  happen,  although  it  is 
quite  bad  enough." 

"I  should  think  so,"  breathed  Polly. 

"  But  Pick  will  simply  be  shot  out  of  the  school," 
•said  Jasper  desperately;  "there's  no  use  in  min 
cing  matters.  Mr.  Faber  has  utterly  lost  pa 
tience;  and  the  other  teachers  as  well." 

"You  don't  mean  that  Pickering  Dodge  will 
be  expelled?"  cried  Polly  in  a  little  scream. 

"Yes."  Jasper  nodded  his  head,  unable  to 
utter  another  word.  Then  he  sprang  off  from 
the  table- end,  and  walked  up  and  down  the 
room,  as  Polly  sank  back  in  her  chair. 

"You  see,  it's  just  this  way,  Polly,"  he  cried. 
"Pick  has  had  warning  after  warning  —  you 
know  the  teachers  have  a  system  of  sending  writ 
ten  warnings  around  to  the  boys  when  they  fall 
behind  in  their  work  —  and  he  hasn't  paid  any 
attention  to  them." 

"Won't  he  pay  attention  to  what  the  teachers 


250     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

write  to  him,  Jasper?"  asked  Polly,  leaning  for 
ward  in  her  big  chair  to  watch  him  anxiously  as 
he  paced  back  and  forth. 

"No,  calls  them  rubbish,  and  tears  them  up; 
and  sometimes  he  won't  even  read  them,"  said 
Jasper.  "Oh,  it's  awful,  Polly." 

"I  should  say  it  was,"  said  Polly  slowly. 
"Very  awful  indeed,  Jasper." 

"And  the  last  time  he  had  one  from  Herr 
Frincke  about  his  German,  Pick  brought  it  into 
the  room  where  a  lot  of  us  boys  were,  and  read 
it  out,  with  no  end  of  fun  over  it,  and  it  went 
into  the  scrap-basket;  and  he  hasn't  tackled  his 
grammar  a  bit  better  since;  only  the  translations 
he's  up  a  trifle  on." 

"Oh,  now  I  know  why  you  wouldn't  go  to 
ride  with  me  for  the  last  week,"  cried  Polly, 
springing  out  of  her  chair  to  rush  up  to  him, 
"you've  been  helping  Pickering,"  she  declared, 
with  kindling  eyes. 

"Never  mind,"  said  Jasper  uneasily. 

"And  it  was  splendid  of  you,"  cried  Polly,  the 
color  flying  over  her  cheeks.  "Oh  Jasper,  I  do 
believe  you  can  pull  him  through." 

"No,  I  can't,  Polly."  Jasper  stood  quite  still. 
"No  one  can  pull  him  through,  but  you,  Polly." 


NEW   PLANS  251 

"I!"  exclaimed  Polly  in  amazement.  "Why, 
Jasper  King!"  and  she  tumbled  back  a  few  steps 
to  stare  at  him.  "What  do  you  mean?" 

"It's  just  this  way."  Jasper  threw  back  his 
hair  from  his  hot  forehead.  "Pick  doesn't  care 
a  bit  for  what  I  say:  it's  an  old  story;  goes  in  at 
one  ear,  and  out  at  the  other." 

"Oh,  he  does  care  for  what  you  say,"  contra 
dicted  Polly  stoutly,  "ever  and  ever  so  much, 
Jasper." 

"Well,  he's  heard  it  so  much;  perhaps  I've 
pounded  at  him  too  hard.  And  then  again  — 
Jasper  paused,  turned  away  a  bit,  and  rushed 
back  hastily,  with  vexation  written  all  over  his 
face.  "I  must  speak  it:  I  can't  help  him  any 
more,  for  somehow  Mr.  Faber  has  found  it  out, 
and  forbids  it;  that's  one  reason  of  the  talk  this 
morning  in  his  study  —  says  I  must  influence 
him,  and  all  that.  That's  rubbish;  I  can't  in 
fluence  him."  Jasper  dashed  over  to  lay  his 
head  on  the  table  on  his  folded  arms. 

"Polly,  if  Pick  is  expelled,  I—"  he  couldn't 
finish  it,  his  voice  breaking  all  up. 

Polly  ran  over  to  lay  a  hand  on  his  shaking 
shoulders. 

"What  can  I  do,  Jasper?"  she  cried  brokenly. 
"Tell  me,  and  I'll  do  it,  every  single  thing." 


252     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS   AT   SCHOOL 

"You  must  talk  to  him,"  said  Jasper,  raising 
his  head.  It  filled  Polly  with  dismay  to  see  his 
face.  "Get  him  in  here;  I'll  bring  him  over 
and  then  clear  out  of  the  den." 

"Oh  Jasper!"  exclaimed  Polly,  quite  aghast. 
"I  couldn't  talk  to  Pickering  Dodge.  Why,  he 
wouldn't  listen  to  me." 

"Yes,  he  would,"  declared  Jasper  eagerly; 
"he  thinks  everything  of  you,  Polly,  and  if  you'll 
say  the  word,  it  will  do  more  good  than  anything 
else.  Do,  Polly,"  he  begged. 

"But,  Jasper,"  began  Polly,  a  little  white  line 
coming  around  her  mouth,  "what  would  he 
think  to  have  me  talk  to  him  about  his  lessons?" 

"Think?"  repeated  Jasper,  "why,  he'd  like  it, 
Polly,  and  it  will  be  the  very  thing  that  will  help 
him." 

"Oh,  I  can't!"  cried  Polly,  twisting  her  fin 
gers.  Then  she  broke  out  passionately,  "  Oh,  he 
ought  to  be  ashamed  of  himself  not  to  study;  and 
there's  that  nice  Mr.  Cabot,  and  his  aunt — " 

"Aunt ! "  exclaimed  Jasper  explosively.  " Polly, 
I  do  believe  if  he  hadn't  her  picking  at  him  all 
the  time,  he  would  try  harder." 

"Well,  his  uncle  is  different,"  said  Polly,  her 
indignation  by  no  means  dying  out. 


NEW    PLANS  253 

"Yes,  but  it's  his  aunt  who  makes  the  mis 
chief.  Honestly,  Polly,  I  don't  believe  I  could 
stand  her,"  said  Jasper,  in  a  loyal  burst. 

"No,  I  don't  believe  I  could  either,"  confessed 
Polly. 

"And  you  see,  when  a  boy  has  such  a  home, 
no  matter  what  they  give  him,  why,  he  doesn't 
have  the  ambition  that  he  would  if  things  were 
different.  Just  think,  Polly,  not  to  have  one's 
own  father  or  mother." 

"Oh  Jasper!"  cried  Polly,  quite  overcome. 
"I'll  do  it,  I  will." 

"Polly!"  Jasper  seized  her  hands,  and  held 
them  fast,  his  dark  eyes  glowing.  "Oh  Polly, 
that's  so  awfully  good  of  you!" 

"And  you  better  run  right  over,  and  get  him 
now,"  said  Polly,  speaking  very  fast,  "or  I  may 
run  away,  I  shall  get  so  scared." 

"You  won't  run  away,  I'll  be  bound,"  cried 
Jasper,  bursting  into  a  merry  laugh,  and  rushing 
off  with  a  light  heart.  And  presently,  in  less 
time  than  one  could  imagine,  though  to  Polly  it 
seemed  an  age,  back  he  came,  Picketing  with 
him,  all  alive  with  curiosity  to  know  what  Polly 
Pepper  wanted  of  him. 

"It's  about  the  play,  I  suppose,"  he  began, 


254     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS   AT    SCHOOL 

lolling  into  an  easy-chair;  ''Jasper  wouldn't  tell 
me  what  it's  all  about;  only  seized  me  by  the  ear, 
and  told  me  to  come  on.  Draw  up  your  chair, 
Jasper,  and  —  why,  hullo!  where  is  the  chap?" 
swinging  his  long  figure  around  to  stare. 

"  Pickering,"  began  Polly;  and  the  den,  usually 
the  pleasantest  place  in  all  the  house,  was  now 
like  a  prison,  whose  walls  wouldn't  let  her  breathe, 
"I  don't  know  what  to  say.  Oh  dear  me!" 
Poor  Polly  could  get  no  farther,  but  sat  there  in 
hopeless  misery,  looking  at  him. 

" Eh  —  what?  Oh,  beg  pardon,"  exclaimed 
Pickering,  whirling  back  in  his  chair,  "but  things 
are  so  very  queer;  first  Jasper  rushes  off  like  a 
lunatic  — 

"And  I  am  worse,"  said  Polly,  at  last  finding 
her  tongue.  "I  don't  wonder  you  think  it's 
queer,  Pickering,  but  Jasper  does  so  love  you, 
and  it  will  just  kill  him  if  you  don't  study."  It 
was  all  out  now,  and  in  the  most  dreadful  way. 
And  feeling  that  she  had  quite  destroyed  all  hope, 
Polly  sat  up  pale  and  stiff  in  her  chair. 

Picker 'ng  threw  his  long  figure  out  of  the  easy- 
chair,  rushed  up  and  down  the  den  with  immense 
strides,  and  came  back  to  stand  directly  in  front 
of  her. 


NEW    PLANS  255 

"Do  you  mean  it,  Polly?"  His  long  face  was 
working  badly,  and  his  hands  were  clenched, 
but  as  they  were  thrust  deep  within  his  pockets, 
Polly  couldn't  see  them. 

"Yes,"  said  Polly,  "I  do,  Pickering." 

He  stalked  off  again,  but  was  back  once  more, 
Polly  wondering  how  she  could  possibly  bear  to 
tell  Jasper  of  her  failure,  for  of  course  Pickering 
was  very  angry;  when  he  said,  "Polly,  I  want  to 
tell  you  something." 

"What  is  it?"  Polly  looked  at  him  sharply, 
and  caught  her  breath. 

"I  won't  drag  Jasper  down,  I  tell  you,  with 
me.  I'll  get  through  somehow  at  school.  I  prom 
ise  you  that.  Here!"  He  twitched  out  his  right 
hand  from  its  pocket,  and  thrust  it  out  at  her. 

"Oh  Pickering  Dodge!"  exclaimed  Polly  in  a 
transport,  and  seizing  his  hand,  it  was  shaken 
vigorously. 

"There,  that's  a  bargain,"  declared  Pickering 
solemnly.  "I'll  get  through  someway.  And  say, 
Polly,  it  was  awfully  good  of  you  to  speak." 

"It  was  awfully  hard,"  said  Polly,  drawing  a 
long  breath.  "Oh,  are  you  sure  you  are  not 
vexed,  Pickering ?  Very  sure?"  And  Polly's  face 
drooped  anxiously. 


256     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"Vexed?"  cried  Pickering.  "I  should  rather 
say  not!  Polly,  I'm  lazy  and  selfish,  and  good 
for  nothing;  but  I  couldn't  be  vexed,  for  'twas 
awfully  hard  for  you  to  do." 

"I  guess  it  was,"  said  Polly.  Then  she  gave  a 
little  laugh,  for  it  was  all  bright  and  jolly  again, 
and  she  knew  that  Pickering  would  keep  his 
word. 

And  that  evening,  after  Jasper  and  she  had  a 
dance  —  they  were  so  happy,  they  couldn't  keep 
still  —  in  the  wide  hall,  Jasper  burst  out  suddenly 
with  a  fresh  idea. 

"Polly,"  he  said,  drawing  her  off  to  rest  on 
one  of  the  high,  carved  chairs,  "there's  one  more 
thing." 

"Oh,  what  is  it.  Jasper?"  she  cried  gaily,  with 
flushed  cheeks.  "Oh,  wasn't  that  spin  just  de 
licious?" 

"Wasn't  it?"  cried  Jasper  heartily.  "Well, 
now,  Polly,"  flinging  himself  down  on  the  next 
chair,  "it's  just  this.  Do  you  know,  I  don't 
believe  we  ought  to  have  our  play." 

"Not  have  our  play?"  Polly  peered  around 
to  look  closely  into  his  face.  "What  do  you 
mean,  Jasper?" 

"You  sec,  Polly,  Pick  was  to  take  a  prominent 


NEW   PLANS  257 

part,  and  he  ought  not  to,  you  know;  it  will 
take  him  from  his  lessons  to  rehearse  and  all 
that.  And  he's  so  backward  there's  a  whole  lot 
for  him  to  make  up." 

"Well,  but  Pickering  will  have  to  give  up  his 
part,  then,"  said  Polly  decidedly,  "for  we've 
simply  got  to  have  that  play,  to  get  the  money  to 
help  that  poor  brakeman's  family." 

Jasper  winced.  "I  know;  we  must  earn  it 
somehow,"  he  said. 

"We  must  earn  it  by  the  play,"  said  Polly. 
"And  besides,  Jasper,  we  voted  at  the  club 
meeting  to  have  it.  So  there,  now,"  she  brought 
up  triumphantly. 

"We  could  vote  to  rescind  that  vote,"  said 
Jasper. 

"Well,  we  don't  want  to.  Why,  Jasper,  how 
that  would  look  on  our  two  record  books  1"  said 
Polly  in  surprise,  for  Jasper  was  so  proud  of  his 
club  and  its  records. 

"Yes,  of  course;  as  our  two  clubs  united  that 
evening,  it  must  go  down  in  both  books,"  said 
Jasper  slowly. 

"Yes,  of  course,"  assented  Polly  happily. 
"Well,  now,  you  see,  Jasper,  that  we  really  can't 
give  it  up,  for  we've  gone  too  far.  Pickering 


258     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

will  have  to  let  some  one  else  take  the  part  of 
the  chief  brigand."  For  the  little  play  was  al 
most  all  written  by  Polly's  fingers,  Jasper  filling 
out  certain  parts  when  implored  to  give  advice.; 
and  brigands,  and  highway  robberies,  and  buried 
treasures,  and  rescued  maidens,  and  gallant 
knights,  figured  generously,  in  a  style  to  give 
immense  satisfaction. 

"And  the  play  is  so  very  splendid!"  cried 
Jasper.  "Oh  dear  me!  what  ought  we  to  do, 
Polly?"  He  buried  his  face  in  his  hands  a 
moment. 

"Pickering  must  give  up  his  part,"  said  Polly 
again. 

"But,  Polly,  you  know  he  has  been  in  all  our 
plays,"  said  Jasper.  "And  he'll  feel  so  badly, 
and  now  he's  got  all  this  trouble  about  his  les 
sons  on  his  mind,"  and  Jasper's  face  fell. 

Polly  twisted  uncomfortably  on  her  chair.  "Oh 
dear  me!"  she  began,  "I  suppose  we  must  give  it 
up." 

"And  if  we  gave  it  up,  not  altogether,  but 
put  it  off  till  he  catches  up  on  his  studies,"  sug 
gested  Jasper,  "why,  he  wouldn't  be  dropped 
out." 

"But    the   poor   brakeman's   family,   Jasper," 


NEW    PLANS  259 

said  Polly,  puzzled  that  Jasper  should  forget  the 
object  of  the  play. 

"Oh,  I  didn't  mean  that  we  should  put  off 
earning  the  money,  Polly,"  cried  Jasper,  quite 
horrified  at  such  a  thought.  "We  must  do  some 
thing  eke,  so  that  we  can  sell  just  as  many  tickets." 

"But  what  will  it  be?  "  asked  Polly,  trying  not 
tc  :1  crushed,  and  sighing  at  the  disappearance 
of  the  beautiful  play,  for  a  time  at  least. 

1  'Well,  we  could  have  recitations,  for  one 
thing,"  said  Jasper,  feeling  dreadfully  to  see 
Polly's  disappointment,  and  concealing  his  own, 
for  he  had  set  his  heart  on  the  play  too. 

"Oh  dear  me!"  exclaimed  Polly,  wrinkling  up 
her  face  in  disdain.  "Jasper,  do  you  know,  I 
am  so  tired  of  recitations  1 " 

"So  am  I,"  Jasper  bobbed  his  head  in  sym 
pathy,  "but  we  boys  have  some  new  ones, 
learned  for  last  exhibition,  so  Pick  won't  have 
tc  take  a  moment  from  his  lessons.  And  then 
we  can  have  music,  and  you  will  play,  Polly." 

"Oh  Jasper,  I've  played  so  much,"  said 
Polly,  "they're  all  tired  of  hearing  me." 

"They  never  would  be  tired  of  hearing  you, 
Polly,"  said  Jasper  simply.  "Every  one  of  us 
thinks  you  play  beautifully." 


260     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"And  tableaux  and  an  operetta  take  just  as 
much  time  to  rehearse,"  mused  Polly,  thinking 
very  hard  if  there  wasn't  something  to  keep 
them  from  the  dreaded  recitations. 

"And  I  just  loathe  an  operetta  or  tableaux," 
exclaimed  Jasper,  with  such  venom  that  Polly 
burst  out  laughing. 

"Oh  Jasper,  if  you  could  see  your  face!'  --he 
cried. 

"I  shouldn't  want  to,"  he  laughed  too;  "but 
of  all  insipid  things,  an  operetta  is  the  worst; 
and  tableaux  —  the  way  Miss  Montague  drilled 
and  drilled  and  drilled  us,  and  then  stuck  us  up 
like  sticks  not  to  move  for  a  half-hour  or  so, 
nearly  finished  me." 

"So  it  did  me,"  confessed  Polly.  "And  be 
sides,  it  would  take  a  great  deal  more  time  to  go 
through  all  that  drilling  than  to  rehearse  the 
play." 

"Of  course  it  would,"  said  Jasper,  "so  ta 
bleaux,  thank  fortune,  are  not  to  be  thought  of. 
I  think  it  will  have  to  be  recitations  and  music, 
Polly." 

"I  suppose  so,"  she  said  with  a  sigh.  "Oh 
Jasper!"  then  she  sprang  off  from  her  chair,  and 
clapped  her  hands.  "I've  thought  of  the  very 


NEW    PLANS  261 

thing.  I  believe  Mr.  Hamilton  Dyce  would  tell 
some  of  his  funny  stories  and  help  out  the  pro 
gram." 

"Capital!"  shouted  Jasper;  and  just  at  this 
moment  the  big  front  door  opened,  and  the 
butler  ushered  in  Miss  Mary  Taylor  and  Mr. 
Dyce. 

Polly  and  Jasper  rushed  up  to  the  visitors,  for 
they  were  prime  favorites  with  the  young  people, 
and  precipitated  upon  them  all  their  woes.  The 
end  was,  that  they  both  promised  beautifully  to 
do  whatever  was  wanted,  for  Miss  Mary  Taylor 
sang  delightfully. 

"And  Pickering  is  safe,  Polly,  for  I  know  now 
he'll  go  through  the  last  half,"  cried  Jasper  as 
they  ran  off  to  study  their  lessons  for  the  next 
day. 


XVII     PHRONSIE 

\  ND  after  that,  there  was  no  more  trouble 
-f~^  about  that  program,  for  as  luck  would 
have  it,  the  very  next  day  a  letter  came  from 
Joel,  saying  that  Dr.  Marks  had  given  them  a 
holiday  of  a  week  on  account  of  the  illness  of 
two  boys  in  their  dormitory,  and,  "May  I  bring 
home  Tom  Beresford?  He's  no-end  fine!"  and, 
"Please,  Mamsie,  let  me  fetch  Sinbad!  Do 
telegraph  'Yes.'" 

And  Mother  Fisher,  after  consultation  with 
Mr.  King,  telegraphed  "Yes;"  and  wild  was  the 
rejoicing  over  the  return  of  Joel  and  David  and 
Percy  and  Van,  and  Tom;  for  Mother  Fisher  was 
ready  to  receive  with  open  arms,  and  very  glad 
silently  to  watch,  one  of  Joel's  friends. 

"And  to  think  that  Sinbad  is  coming!"  cried 
Polly,  dancing  about.  "Just  think,  Phronsie, 
Joel's  dear  dog  that  Dr.  Marks  let  him  take  to 
the  little  cobbler  to  keep  for  him!"  And  she 
took  Phronsie's  hand,  and  they  spun  around  the 
hall. 


262 


PHRON3IE 


'I  shall  get  him  a  new  pink  ribbon,''  declared 
Phronsie  breathlessly,  when  the  spin  was  over. 

"  Do,"  cried  Polly.  "  Dear  me  !  that  was  a 
good  spin,  Phronsie!" 

"I  should  think  it  was,"  said  Ben.  "Good 
ness  me!  Polly,  Phronsie  and  you  made  such  a 
breeze!" 

"Didn't  we,  Pet!  "  cried  Polly,  with  a  last 
kiss.  "Oh  Ben  and  Jasper,  to  think  those  boys 
will  be  here  for  our  entertainment!" 

"I  know  Tom  is  made  of  the  right  stuff," 
Mamsie  said  proudly  to  Father  Fisher,  "else  my 
boy  would  not  choose  him." 

"That's  a  fact,  wife,"  the  little  doctor  responded 
heartily.  "Joel  is  all  right;  may  be  a  bit  heed 
less,  but  he  has  a  good  head  on  his  shoulders." 

The  five  boys  bounded  into  the  wide  hall  that 
evening  —  Joel  first  ;  and  in  his  arms,  a  yellow 
dog,  by  no  means  handsome,  with  small,  beady 
eyes,  and  a  stubby  tail  that  he  was  violently  en 
deavoring  to  wag,  under  the  impression  that  he 
had  a  good  deal  of  it. 

"Mamsie!"  shouted  Joel,  his  black  eyes  glow 
ing,  and  precipitating  himself  into  her  arms,  dog 
and  all,  "See  Sinbad!  See,  Mamsie!" 

"It's  impossible  not  to  see  him,"  said  Ben. 


264    FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"Goodness  me,  Joe,  what  a  dog!"  which  luckily 
Joel  did  not  hear  for  the  babel  going  on  around. 
Besides,  there  was  Phronsie  trying  to  put  her 
arms  around  the  dog,  and  telling  him  about  the 
pink  ribbon  which  she  held  in  her  hand. 

"Joe,"  said  Dr.  Fisher,  who  had  been  here, 
there,  and  everywhere  in  the  group,  and  coming 
up  to  nip  Joel's  jacket,  "introduce  your  friend. 
You're  a  pretty  one,  to  bring  a  boy  home, 
and—" 

"I  forgot  you,  Tom,"  shouted  Joel,  starting 
off,  still  hanging  to  his  dog;  "oh,  there  you  are!" 
seeing  Tom  in  the  midst  of  the  circle,  and  talk 
ing  away  to  Grandpapa  and  Polly. 

"As  if  I  couldn't  introduce  Tom!"  sniffed 
Percy  importantly,  quite  delighted  at  Joel's  social 
omissions.  "I've  done  it  ages  ago." 

"All  right,"  said  Joel,  quite  relieved.  "Oh 
Phronsie,  Sinbad  doesn't  want  that  ribbon  on," 
as  Phronsie  was  making  violent  efforts  to  get  it 
around  the  dog's  neck. 

"I  would  let  her,  Joel,"  said  Mother  Fisher, 
"if  I  were  you." 

"But  he  hates  a  ribbon,"  said  Joel  in  disgust, 
"and  besides,  he'll  chew  it  up,  Phronsie." 

"I  don't  want  him  to  chew  it  up,  Joel,"  said 


PHRONSIE  265 

Phronsie  slowly,  and  pausing  in  her  endeavors. 
And  she  looked  very  sober. 

"I'll  tell  you,  Phronsie."  Mrs.  Fisher  took 
the  pink  satin  ribbon  that  Phronsie  had  bought 
with  her  own  money.  "Now,  do  you  want 
mother  to  tie  it  on?" 

"Do,  Mamsie,"  begged  Phronsie,  smoothing 
her  gown  in  great  satisfaction.  And  presently 
there  was  a  nice  little  bow  standing  up  on  the 
back  of  Sinbad's  neck;  and  as  there  didn't  seem 
to  be  any  ends  to  speak  of,  there  was  nothing  to 
distract  his  attention  from  the  responsibility  of 
watching  all  the  people. 

"Oh,  isn't  he  beautiful!  "  cried  Phronsie  in  a 
transport,  and  hopping  up  and  down  to  clap  her 
hands.  "Grandpapa  dear,  do  look;  and  I've 
told  Princey  all  about  him,  and  given  him  a 
ribbon  too,  so  he  won't  feel  badly." 

And  after  this  excitement  had  died  down,  Joel 
whirled  around.  "Tom's  brought  his  banjo,"  he 
announced. 

"Oh!"  exclaimed  Polly. 

"And  he  can  sing,"  cried  Joel,  thinking  it  best 
to  mention  all  the  accomplishments  at  once. 

"  Don't,  Joe,"  begged  Tom,  twitching  his  sleeve. 

Polly  looked  over  at  Jasper,  with  sparkling 
eyes,  and  the  color  flew  into  her  cheeks. 


266    FIVE    LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

" Splendid!"  his  eyes  signalled  back. 

"What  is  it?"  cried  Joel,  giving  each  a  sharp 
glance.  " Now  you  two  have  secrets;  and  that's 
mean,  when  we've  just  got  home.  What  is  it, 
Polly?"  He  ran  to  her,  shaking  her  arm. 

"You'll  see  in  time,"  said  Polly,  shaking  him 
off,  to  dance  away. 

"I  don't  want  to  know  in  time,"  said  Joel,  "I 
want  to  know  now.  Mamsie,  what  is  it?" 

"I'm  sure  I  haven't  the  least  idea,"  said 
Mother  Fisher,  who  hadn't  heard  Joel's  announce 
ment.  "And  I  think  you  would  do  better,  Joey, 
to  take  care  of  your  guest,  and  let  other  things 
wait." 

"Oh,  Tom  doesn't  want  to  be  fussed  over," 
said  Joel  carelessly;  yet  he  went  back  to  the  tall 
boy  standing  quite  still,  in  the  midst  of  the  gen 
eral  hilarity.  "That's  just  the  way  Ben  and 
Polly  used  to  do  in  the  little  brown  house,"  he 
grumbled — "always  running  away,  and  hiding 
their  old  secrets  from  me,  Tom." 

"Well,  we  had  to,  if  we  ever  told  each  other 
anything,"  said  Ben  coolly.  "Joel  everlastingly 
tagged  us  about,  Beresford." 

"Well,  I  had  to,  if  I  ever  heard  anything," 
burst  out  Joel,  with  a  laugh.  "Come  on,  Tom," 
and  he  bore  him  off  together  with  Sinbad. 


PHRONSIE  267 

"Polly,"  Jasper  was  saying,  the  two  now  being 
off  in  a  corner,  "how  fine!  Now,  perhaps  Tom 
Beresford  will  sing." 

"And  play,"  finished  Polly,  with  kindling  face. 
"Oh  Jasper,  was  anything  ever  so  gorgeous!" 
she  cried  joyfully,  for  Polly  dearly  loved  high- 
sounding  words;  "and  we'll  sell  a  lot  more  tick 
ets,  because  he's  new,  and  people  will  want  to 
hear  him." 

"If  he  will  do  it,"  said  Jasper  slowly,  not  want 
ing  to  dampen  her  anticipation,  but  dreadfully 
afraid  that  the  new  boy  might  not  respond. 

"Oh,  he'll  do  it,  I  do  believe,"  declared  Polly 
confidently;  "he  must,  Jasper,  help  about  that 
poor  brakeman's  family." 

And  he  did.  Tom  Beresford  evidently  made 
up  his  mind,  when  he  went  home  with  Joel,  to  do 
everything  straight  through  that  the  family  asked 
him,  for  he  turned  out  to  be  the  best  visitor  they 
had  entertained,  and  one  and  all  pronounced 
him  capital.  All  but  Joel  himself,  who  told  him 
very  flatly  the  second  day  that  he  wasn't  half  as 
nice  as  at  school,  for  he  was  now  running  at 
everybody's  beck  and  nod. 

"Instead  of  yours,"  said  Tom  calmly.  Then 
he  roared. 


268     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"Hush  up,"  cried  Joel,  very  uncomfortable, 
and  getting  very  red.  "  Well,  you  must  acknowl 
edge,  Tom,  that  I  want  to  see  something  of  you, 
else  why  would  I  have  brought  you  home,  pray 
tell?" 

"Nevertheless,  I  shall  do  what  your  sister 
Polly  and  your  mother  and  Jasper  and  Mr.  King 
ask  me  to  do,"  said  Tom  composedly,  which 
was  all  Joel  got  for  his  fuming.  And  the  most 
that  he  saw  of  Tom  after  that  was  a  series  of 
dissolving  views,  for  even  Phronsie  began  to 
monopolize  him,  being  very  much  taken  with  his 
obliging  ways. 

At  last  Joel  took  to  moping,  and  Ben  found 
him  thus  in  a  corner. 

"See  here,  old  fellow,  that's  a  nice  way,  — to 
come  home  on  a  holiday,  and  have  such  a  face. 
I  don't  wonder  you  want  to  sneak  in  here." 

"It's  pretty  hard,"  said  Joel,  trying  not  to 
sniffle,  "to  have  a  fellow  you  bring  home  from 
school  turn  his  back  on  you." 

"Well,  he  couldn't  turn  his  back  on  you,"  said 
Ben,  wanting  very  much  to  laugh,  but  he  re 
strained  himself,  "if  you  went  with  him." 

"I  can't  follow  him  about,"  said  Joel,  in  a 
loud  tone  of  disgust.  "He's  twanging  his  old 


PHRONSIE  269 

banjo  all  the  time,  and  Polly's  got  him  to  sing, 
and  he's  practising  up.  I  wish  'twas  smashed." 

"What?"  said  Ben,  only  half  comprehending. 

"Why,  his  old  banjo.  I  didn't  think  he'd 
play  it  all  the  time,"  said  Joel,  who  was  secretly 
very  proud  of  his  friend's  accomplishments;  and 
he  displayed  a  very  injured  countenance. 

"See  here,  now,  Joe,"  said  Ben,  laying  a  very 
decided  hand  on  Joel's  jacket,  "do  you  just 
drop  all  this,  and  come  out  of  your  hole.  Aren't 
you  ashamed,  Joe!  Run  along,  and  find  Beres- 
ford,  and  pitch  into  whatever  he's  doing." 

"I  can't  do  anything  for  that  old  concert," 
said  Joel,  who  obeyed  enough  to  come  "out  of 
the  old  hole,"  but  stood  glancing  at  Ben  with 
sharp  black  eyes. 

"I  don't  know  about  that,"  said  Ben,  "you 
can  at  least  help  to  get  the  tickets  ready." 

"Did  Polly  say  so?"  demanded  Joel,  all  in  a 
glow.  "Say,  Ben,  did  she?"  advancing  on  him. 

"No,  but  I  do;  for  Polly  asked  me  to  do  them; 
and  you  know,  Joe,  how  busy  I  am  all  day." 

He  didn't  say  "how  tired"  also,  but  Joel  knew 
how  Ben  was  working  at  Cabot  and  Van  Meter's, 
hoping  to  get  into  business  life  the  sooner,  to 
begin  to  pay  Grandpapa  back  for  all  his  kindness. 


270     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT   SCHOOL 

"Ben,  if  I  can  help  you  with  those  tickets  I'll 
do  it."  Every  trace  of  Joel's  grumpiness  had 
flown  to  the  four  winds.  "Let  me,  will  you?" 
he  begged  eagerly. 

"All  right."  Ben  had  no  need  to  haul  him 
along,  as  Joel  raced  on  ahead  up  to  Ben's  room 
to  get  the  paraphernalia. 

"I  can't  think  what's  become  of  Joel,"  said 
Polly,  flying  down  the  long  hall  in  great  per 
plexity,  "we  want  him  dreadfully.  Have  you 
seen  him,  Phronsie?" 

"No,"  said  Phronsie,  "I  haven't,  Polly,"  and 
a  look  of  distress  came  into  her  face. 

"Never  mind,  Pet,"  said  Polly,  her  brow  clear 
ing,  "I'll  find  him  soon." 

But  Phronsie  watched  Polly  fly  off,  with  a 
troubled  face.  Then  she  said  to  herself,  "I 
ought  to  find  Joey  for  Polly,"  and  started  on  a 
tour  of  investigation  to  suit  herself. 

Meanwhile  Ben  was  giving  Joel  instructions 
about  the  tickets;  and  Joel  presently  was  so  ab 
sorbed  he  wouldn't  have  cared  if  all  the  Tom 
Beresfords  in  the  world  had  deserted  him,  as  he 
bent  over  his  task,  quite  elated  that  he  was  help 
ing  Polly,  and  becoming  one  of  the  assistants  to 
make  the  affair  a  success. 


PHRONSIE  271 

"I  guess  it's  going  to  be  a  great  thing,  Ben," 
he  said,  looking  up  a  moment  from  the  pink  and 
yellow  pasteboard  out  of  which  he  was  cutting 
the  tickets. 

"You  better  believe  so,"  nodded  Ben,  hugely 
delighted  to  see  Joe's  good  spirits,  when  the  door 
opened,  and  in  popped  Phronsie's  yellow  head. 

She  ran  up  to  Joel.  "Oh  Joey!"  she  hummed 
delightedly,  "I've  found  you,"  and  threw  herself 
into  his  arms. 

Joel  turned  sharply,  knife  in  hand.  It  was 
all  done  in  an  instant.  Phronsie  exclaimed, 
"Oh!"  in  such  a  tone  that  Ben,  off  in  the  corner 
of  the  room,  whirled  around,  to  see  Joel,  white  as 
a  sheet,  holding  Phronsie.  "I've  killed  her,"  he 
screamed. 

Ben  sprang  to  them.  The  knife  lay  on  the 
table,  where  Joel  had  thrown  it,  a  little  red  tinge 
along  the  tip.  Ben  couldn't  help  seeing  it  as  he 
dashed  by,  with  a  groan. 

"Give  her  to  me,"  he  commanded  hoarsely. 

"No,  no  — I'll  hold  her,"  persisted  Joel, 
through  white  lips,  and  hanging  to  Phronsie. 

"Give  her  to  me,  and  run  down  for  Father 
Fisher." 

"It  doesn't  hurt  much,  Joey,"  said  Phronsie, 


272     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

holding  up  her  little  arm.  A  small  stream  of 
blood  was  flowing  down,  and  she  turned  away 
her  head. 

Joel  took  one  look,  and  fled  with  wild  eyes. 
"I  don't  believe  it's  very  bad,"  Ben  made  him 
self  call  after  him  hoarsely.  "Now,  Phronsie, 
you'll  sit  in  my  lap  —  there;  and  I'll  keep  this 
old  cut  together  as  well  as  I  can.  We  must  hold 
your  arm  up,  so,  child."  Ben  made  himself  talk 
as  fast  as  he  could  to  keep  Phronsie's  eyes  on  him. 

"I  got  cut  in  the  little  brown  house  once, 
didn't  I,  Bensie?"  said  Phronsie,  and  trying  to 
creep  up  further  into  Ben's  lap. 

"You  must  sit  straight,  child,"  said  Ben.  Oh, 
would  Father  Fisher  and  Mamsie  ever  come!  for 
the  blood,  despite  all  his  efforts,  was  running 
down  the  little  arm  pretty  fast. 

"Why,  Ben?"  asked  Phronsie,  with  wide  eyes, 
and  wishing  that  her  arm  wouldn't  ache  so,  for 
now  quite  a  smart  pain  had  set  in.  "Why,  Ben 
sie?"  and  thinking  if  she  could  be  cuddled,  it 
wouldn't  be  quite  so  bad. 

"Why,  we  must  hold  your  arm  up  stiff,"  said 
Ben,  just  as  Mamsie  came  up  to  her  baby,  and 
took  her  in  her  arms;  and  then  Phronsie  didn't 
care  whether  the  ache  was  there  or  not. 


PHRONSIE 


273 


"Joe  couldn't  help  it,"  said  Ben  brokenly. 

"I  believe  that,"  Mother  Fisher  said  firmly. 
"Oh  Ben,  the  doctor  is  away." 

Ben  started.  "I'll  go  down  to  the  office;  per 
haps  he's  there."' 

"No;  there's  no  chance.  I've  sent  for  Dr. 
Pennell.  Your  father  likes  him.  Now  Phron- 
sie"  -Mrs.  Fisher  set  her  white  lips  together 
tightly  —  "you  and  I  and  Ben  will  see  to  this 
arm  of  yours.  Ben,  get  one  of  your  big  handker 
chiefs." 

"It  doesn't  ache  so  very  much,  Mamsie,"  said 
Phronsie,  "only  I  would  like  to  lay  it  down." 

"And  that  is  just  what  we  can't  do,  Phronsie," 
said  Mother  Fisher  decidedly.  "All  right,"  to 
Ben,  "now  tear  it  into  strips." 

Old  Mr.  King  was  not  in  the  library  when 
Joel  had  rushed  down  with  his  dreadful  news, 
but  was  in  Jasper's  den,  consulting  with  him 
and  Polly  about  the  program  for  the  enter 
tainment,  as  Polly  and  Jasper,  much  to  the  old 
gentleman's  delight,  never  took  a  step  without 
going  to  him  for  advice.  The  consequence  was 
that  these  three  did  not  hear  of  tlic  accident  till 
a  little  later,  when  the  two  Whitney  beys  dashed 
in  with  pale  faces.  "  Phronsie' s  hurt,"  was  their 


274     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

announcement,  which  wouldn't  have  been  given 
so  abruptly  had  not  each  one  been  so  anxious  to 
get  ahead  of  the  other. 

Old  Mr.  King,  not  comprehending,  had  turned 
sharply  in  his  chair  to  stare  at  them. 

"Hush,  boys,"  warned  Polly,  hoarsely  point 
ing  to  him;  "is  Mamsie  with  her?"  She  didn't 
dare  to  speak  Phronsie's  name. 

"Yes,"  said  Van,  eager  to  communicate  all 
the  news,  and  hoping  Percy  would  not  cut  in. 
But  Percy,  after  Polly's  warning,  had  stood  quite 
still,  afraid  to  open  his  mouth. 

Jasper  was  hunting  in  one  of  his  drawers  for 
an  old  book  his  father  had  wished  to  see.  So  of 
course  he  hadn't  heard  a  word. 

"Here  it  is,  father,"  he  cried,  rushing  back  and 
whirling  the  leaves  — "why,  what?"  for  he  saw 
Polly's  face. 

"Oh  Jasper  —  don't,"  said  Polly  brokenly. 

"Why  do  you  boys  rush  in,  in  this  manner?" 
demanded  old  Mr.  King  testily.  "And,  Polly, 
child,  what  is  the  matter?" 

"Grandpapa,"  cried  Polly,  rushing  over  to 
him  to  put  her  arms  around  his  neck,  "Phronsie 
is  hurt  someway.  1  don't  believe  it  is  much," 
she  gasped,  while  Jasper  ran  to  his  other  side. 


PHRONSIE  275 

"Phronsie  hurt!"  cried  old  Mr.  King  in  sharp 
distress.  "Where  is  she?" 

Then  Percy,  seeing  it  was  considered  time  for 
communication  of  news,  struck  in  boldly;  and 
between  the  two,  all  that  was  known  of  Joel's 
wild  exclamations  was  put  before  them.  All 
this  was  told  along  the  hall  and  going  over  the 
stairs;  for  Grandpapa,  holding  Polly's  hand,  with 
Jasper  hurrying  fast  behind  them,  was  making 
good  time  up  to  Ben's  room. 

"And  Dr.  Fisher  can't  be  found,"  shouted 
Van,  afraid  that  the  whole  would  not  be  told. 
Polly  gave  a  shiver  that  all  her  self-control  could 
not  help. 

uBut  Joel's  gone  for  Dr.  Pennell,"  screamed 
Percy;  "Mrs.  Fisher  sent  him." 

"He's  very  good,"  said  Jasper  comfortingly. 
So  this  is  the  way  they  came  into  Ben's  room. 

"Oh,  here's  Grandpapa!"  cooed  Phronsie,  try 
ing  to  get  down  from  Mamsie's  lap. 

"Oh,  no,  Phronsie,"  said  Mrs.  Fisher,  "you 
must  sit  still;  it's  better  for  your  arm." 

"But  Grandpapa  looks  sick,"  said  Phronsie. 

"Bless  me  —  oh,  you  poor  lamb,  you!"  Old 
Mr.  King  went  unsteadily  across  the  room,  and 
knelt  down  by  her  side. 


276     FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"  Grandpapa,"  said  Phronsie,  stroking  his 
white  face,  "see,  it's  all  tied  up  high." 

"Sit  still,  Phronsie,"  said  Mrs.  Fisher,  keeping 
her  fingers  on  the  cut.  Would  the  doctor  ever 
come?  Besides  Joel,  Thomas  and  several  more 
messengers  were  despatched  with  orders  for  Dr. 
Pennell  and  to  find  Dr.  Fisher,  with  the  names 
of  other  doctors  if  these  failed.  God  would  send 
some  one  of  them  soon,  she  knew. 

Phronsie  obediently  sat  quite  still,  although 
she  longed  to  show  Grandpapa  the  white  ban 
dages  drawn  tightly  around  her  arm.  And  she 
smoothed  his  hair,  while  he  clasped  his  hands  in 
her  lap. 

"I  want  Polly,"  she  said  presently. 

"Stay  where  you  are,  Polly,"  said  her  mother, 
who  had  telegraphed  this  before  with  her  eyes, 
over  Phronsie's  yellow  hair. 

Polly,  at  the  sound  of  Phronsie's  voice,  had 
leaned  forward,  but  now  stood  quite  still,  clasp 
ing  her  hands  tightly  together. 

"Speak  to  her,  Polly,"  said  Jasper. 

But  Polly  shook  her  head,  unable  to  utter  a 
sound. 

"Polly,  you  must,"  said  Jasper,  for  Phronsie 
was  trying  to  turn  in  her  mother's  lap,  and  saying 


PHRONSIE  277 

in    a    worried    way,    "Where's    Polly?     I    want 
Polly." 

"Polly  is  over  there,"  said  Mamsie,  "but  I  do 
not  think  it's  best  for  her  to  come  now.  But 
she'll  speak  to  you,  Phronsie." 

"How  funny!"  laughed  Phronsie.  "Polly 
can't  come,  but  she'll  talk  across  the  room." 

Everything  turned  black  before  Polly's  eyes; 
but  she  began,  "Yes,  Pet,  I'm  here,"  very  bravely. 

"I  am  so  glad  you  are  there,  Polly,"  said 
Phronsie,  easily  satisfied. 

Footsteps  rapid  and  light  were  heard  on  the 
stairs.  Polly  and  Jasper  flew  away  from  the 
doorway  to  let  Dr.  Pennell,  his  little  case  in  his 
hand,  come  in. 

"Well,  well!"  he  exclaimed  cheerily,  "so  now 
it's  Phronsie;  I'm  coming  to  her  this  time,"  for 
he  had  often  dropped  in  to  call  or  to  dine  since 
the  railway  accident. 

"Yes,"  said  Phronsie,  with  a  little  laugh  of 
delight,  for  she  very  much  liked  Dr.  Pennell. 
He  always  took  her  on  his  lap,  and  told  her 
stories;  and  he  had  a  way  of  tucking  certain 
little  articles  in  his  pockets  to  have  her  hunt  for 
them.  So  they  had  gotten  on  amazingly  well. 

"Why,  where  -  "  Phronsie  began  in  a  puzzled 
way. 


273     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"Is  Dr.  Fisher?"  Dr.  Pennell  finished  it  for 
her,  rapidly  going  on  with  his  work.  "Well,  he'll 
be  here  soon,  I  think.  And  you  know  he  always 
likes  me  to  do  things  when  he  isn't  on  hand.  So 
I've  come." 

;'And  I  like  you  very  much,"  said  Phronsie, 
wriggling  her  toes  in  satisfaction. 

"I  know  that;  we  are  famous  friends,  Phron 
sie,"  said  the  doctor,  with  one  of  those  pleasant 
smiles  of  his  that  showed  his  white  teeth. 

" What's  famous?"  asked  Phronsie,  keeping 
her  grave  eyes  on  his  face. 

"Oh,  fine;  it  means  first-rate.  We  are  fine 
friends,  aren't  we,  Phronsie?" 

"Yes,  we  are,"  declared  Phronsie,  bending  for 
ward  to  see  his  work  the  better,  and  taking  her 
eyes  from  his  face. 

"There,  there,  you  must  sit  quite  straight. 
That's  a  nice  child,  Phronsie.  And  see  here!  I 
must  take  you  sometime  in  my  carriage  when  I 
go  on  my  calls.  Will  you  go,  Phronsie?"  and 
Dr.  Pennell  smiled  again. 

"Yes,  I  will."  Phronsie  nodded  her  yellow 
head,  while  she  fastened  her  eyes  on  his  face. 
"I  used  to  go  with  Papa  Fisher  when  I  was  at 
the  little  brown  house,  and  I  liked  it;  I  did." 


PHRONSIE  279 

"Well,  and  now  you  will  go  with  me,"  laughed 
Dr.  Pcnnell.  "Now,  Phronsie,  I  think  you  are 
fixed  up  quite  nicely,"  slipping  the  various  ar 
ticles  he  had  used,  deftly  into  his  little  bag,  and 
snapping  it  to. 

"Not  a  very  bad  affair,"  he  said,  whirling 
around  to  old  Mr.  King,  drawn  deeply  within  a 
big  chair,  having  already  telegraphed  the  same  to 
Mother  Fisher  over  Phronsie's  head. 

"Thank  the  Lord!"  exclaimed  the  old  gentle 
man. 

"Well,  now  I'm  going  to  send  every  one  out 
of  the  room,"  announced  Dr.  Pennell,  authorita 
tively.  "Hurry  now!"  he  clapped  his  hands  and 
laughed. 

Old  Mr.  King  sat  quite  still,  fully  determined 
not  to  obey.  But  the  doctor,  looking  over  him 
fixedly,  seemed  to  expect  him  to  leave;  and  al 
though  he  still  had  that  pleasant  smile,  he  didn't 
exactly  give  the  impression  that  his  medical 
authority  could  be  tampered  with.  So  the  old 
gentleman  found  himself  outside  the  door. 

"And  now,  we  must  find  Joel,"  Polly  was 
saying  to  Jasper. 


XVIII    TOM'S   STORY 

JOEL  had  no  cause  to  complain  now  that  Tom 
Beresford  did  not  stick  to  him,  for  there  he 
was  hanging  over  him  as  he  crouched  into  as 
small  a  heap  as  possible  into  a  corner  of  Mam- 
sie's  sofa. 

And  there  he  had  been  ever  since  Joel  had 
rushed  in  with  Dr.  Pennell;  when,  not  daring  to 
trust  himself  up  in  Ben's  room,  he  had  dashed 
for  refuge  to  Mainsie's  old  sofa. 

Tom  had  not  wasted  many  words,  feeling  sure 
under  similar  circumstances  he  shouldn't  like  to 
be  talked  to;  but  he  had  occasionally  patted  Joel's 
stubby  head  in  a  way  not  to  be  misunderstood, 
and  once  in  a  while  Joel  thrust  out  a  brown  hand 
which  Tom  had  gripped  fast. 

"It's  all  right,  old  boy,  I  verily  believe,"  Tom 
cried  with  sudden  energy,  "so  brace  up;  what's 
the  use  of  your  going  to  pieces,  anyway?" 

"It's  Phronsie,"  gasped  Joel,  and  burrowing 
deeper  into  the  cushion. 
280 


TOM'S    STORY  281 

"Well,  I  know  it,"  said  Tom,  gulping  down 
his  sorrow,  for  he  had  petted  Phronsie  a  good 
deal;  so  he  was  feeling  the  blow  quite  sharply 
himself,  "but  you  won't  help  matters  along  any, 
I  tell  you,  by  collapsing." 

"Go  out  into  the  hall,  will  you,  Tom,"  begged 
Joel,  huddling  down,  unwilling  to  listen  himself, 
"and  see  if  you  can  hear  anything." 

So  Tom  skipping  out  into  the  wide  upper  hall, 
thankful  for  any  action,  but  dreading  the  errand, 
stole  to  the  foot  of  the  stairs,  and  craned  his  ear 
to  catch  the  faintest  sound  from  above. 

There  was  only  a  little  murmur,  for  Dr.  Pennell 
was  in  the  midst  of  operations,  and  not  enough 
to  report.  Thankful  that  it  was  no  worse, 
Tom  skipped  back.  "All's  quiet  along  the 
Potomac." 

"Ugh!"  exclaimed  Joel,  burrowing  deeper. 
Suddenly  he  threw  himself  up  straight  and  re 
garded  Tom  out  of  flashing  eyes.  "I've  killed 
Phronsie,"  he  cried  huskily,  "and  you  know  it, 
and  won't  tell  me!" 

"Joel  Pepper!"  cried  Tom,  frightened  half  out 
of  his  wits,  and  rushing  to  him;  "lie  down  again," 
laying  a  firm  hand  on  his  shoulder. 

"I  won't,"   roared  Joel  wildly,  and    shaking 


282     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

him  off.  "You're  keeping  something  from  me, 
Tom." 

"You're  an  idiot,"  declared  Tom,  thinking  it 
quite  time  to  be  high-handed,  "a  first-class,  howl 
ing  idiot,  Pepper,  to  act  so.  If  you  don't  be 
lieve  me,  when  I  say  I  haven't  anything  to  keep 
back  from  you,  I'll  go  straight  upstairs.  Some 
one  will  tell  me." 

"  Hurry  along,"  cried  Joel  feverishly.  But 
Tom  had  gotten  no  further  than  the  hall,  when 
Joel  howled,  "Come  back,  Tom,  I'll  try  —  to 
-to  bear  it."  And  Tom  flying  back,  Joel 
was  buried  as  far  as  his  face  went,  in  Mamsie's 
cushion,  sobbing  as  if  his  heart  would  break. 

"It  will  disturb  — them,"  he  said  gustily,  in 
between  his  sobs. 

Tom  Beresford  let  him  cry  on,  and  thrust  his 
hands  in  his  pockets,  to  stalk  up  and  down  the 
room.  He  longed  to  whistle,  to  give  vent  to  his 
feelings;  but  concluding  that  wouldn't  be  under 
stood,  but  be  considered  heartless,  he  held  him 
self  in  check,  and  counted  the  slow  minutes,  for 
this  was  deadly  tiresome,  and  beginning  to  get 
on  his  nerves.  "I  shall  screech  myself  before 
long,  I'm  afraid." 

At   last   Joel   rolled   over.     "Come   here,    do, 


TOM'S    STORY  283 

Tom,"  and  when  Tom  got  there,  glad  enough  to 
be  of  use,  Joel  pulled  him  down  beside  the  sofa, 
and  gripped  him  as  only  Joel  could.  "Do  you 
mind,  Tom?  I  want  to  hang  on  to  something." 

"No,  indeed,"  said  Tom  heartily,  vastly  pleased, 
although  he  was  nearly  choked.  "Now  you're 
behaving  better."  He  patted  him  on  the  back. 
"Hark,  Joe!  The  doctor's  laughing!" 

They  could  hear  it  distinctly  now,  and  as  long 
as  he  lived,  Joel  thought,  he  never  heard  a  sweeter 
sound.  He  sprang  to  his  feet,  upsetting  Tom, 
who  rolled  over  on  his  back  to  the  floor. 

Just  then  in  rushed  Polly  and  Jasper,  surround 
ing  him,  and  in  a  minute,  "Oh,  is  Tom  sick?" 

"No,"  said  Tom,  picking  himself  up  grimly, 
"only  Joe's  floored  me,  he  was  so  glad  to  hear 
the  doctor  laugh." 

"  Oh,  you  poor,  poor  boy ! "  Polly  was  mother 
ing  Joel  now,  just  as  Mamsie  would  have  done; 
and  Tom  looking  on  with  all  his  eyes,  as  he 
thought  of  his  own  home,  with  neither  mother 
nor  sister,  didn't  hear  Jasper  at  first.  So  Jasper 
pulled  his  arm. 

"See  here,  Beresford,  you  and  I  will  go  down 
;o  the  library,  I  think." 

"All  right,"  said  Tom,  allowing  himself  to  be 


284     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

led  off,  though  he  would  much  have  preferred 
remaining. 

"Now,  Joel,"  said  Polly,  after  they  had  gone, 
and  the  petting  had  continued  for  some  minutes, 
"you  must  just  be  a  brave  boy,  and  please 
Mamsie,  and  stop  crying,"  for  Joel  had  been 
unable  to  stop  the  tears. 

"I  —  I  —  didn't  —  see  —  Phronsie  coming," 
wailed  Joel  afresh. 

"Of  course  you  didn't,"  said  Polly,  stroking 
his  black  curls.  "Why,  Joey  Pepper,  did  you 
think  for  an  instant  that  any  one  blamed  you?" 
She  leaned  over  and  set  some  kisses,  not  dis 
turbing  Joel  that  some  of  them  fell  on  his  stubby 
nose. 

"N-no,"  said  Joel,  through  the  rain  of  drops 
down  his  cheeks,  "but  it;  was  Phronsie,  Polly." 
It  was  no  use  to  try  to  check  him  yet,  for  the 
boy's  heart  was  almost  broken,  and  so  Polly  let 
him  cry  on.  But  she  bestowed  little  reassur 
ing  pats  on  his  shaking  shoulders,  all  the  while 
saying  the  most  comforting  things  she  could 
think  of. 

"And  just  think,  Joey,"  she  cried  suddenly, 
"you  were  the  one  who  found  Dr.  Pennell.  Oh, 
I  should  think  you'd  be  so  glad!" 


TOM'S    STORY  285 

"I  am  glad,"  said  Joel,  beginning  to  feel  a 
ray  of  comfort. 

"And  how  quickly  you  brought  him,  Joe!" 
said  Polly,  delighted  at  the  effect  of  her  last 
remark. 

"Did  I?"  said  Joel  in  a  surprised  way,  and 
roused  out  of  his  crying;  "I  thought  it  was  ever 
so  long,  Polly." 

"I  don't  see  how  you  ever  did  it,  Joel,  in  all 
this  world,"  declared  Polly  positively. 

Joel  didn't  say  that  it  was  because  he  was  a 
sprinter  at  school,  he  found  himself  equal  to  the 
job;  nor  did  he  think  it  of  enough  importance  to 
mention  how  many  people  he  had  run  into,  leav 
ing  a  great  amount  of  vexation  in  his  rear  as  he 
sped  on. 

"He  was  just  going  out  of  his  door,"  he  an 
nounced  simply. 

"Oh  Joey!"  gasped  Polly.  Then  she  hugged 
him  rapturously.  "But  you  caught  him." 

"Yes,  I  caught  him,  and  we  jumped  into  his 
carriage;  and  that's  all." 

"But  it  was  something  to  be  always  proud  of," 
cried  Polly,  in  a  transport. 

Joel,  feeling  very  glad  that  there  was  some 
thing  to  be  proud  of  at  all  in  this  evening's 


286     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

transactions,  sat  up  quite  straight  at  this,  and 
wiped  his  eyes. 

"Now  that's  a  good  boy,"  said  Polly  encour 
agingly.  "Mamsie  will  be  very  glad."  And  she 
ran  over  to  get  a  towel,  dip  it  in  the  water  basin, 
and  bring  it  back. 

"Oh,  that  feels  so  good!"  said  Joel,  with  a 
wintry  smile,  as  she  sopped  his  red  eyelids  and 
poor,  swollen  nose. 

"So  it  must,"  said  Polly  pitifully,  "and  I'm 
going  to  bring  the  basin  here,  and  do  it  some 
more."  Which  she  did;  so  that  by  the  time 
Phronsie  was  brought  downstairs  to  sleep  in  Mrs. 
Fisher's  room,  Joel  was  quite  presentable. 

"Here  they  come!"  announced  Polly  radiantly, 
hearing  the  noise  on  the  stairs,  and  running  back 
to  set  the  basin  and  towel  in  their  places.  "Now, 
Joey,  you  can  see  for  yourself  that  Phronsie  is  all 
right." 

And  there  she  was,  perched  on  Dr.  PennelPs 
shoulder,  to  be  sure,  and  Mamsie  hurrying  in 
to  her  boy,  and  everything  was  just  as  beautiful 
as  it  could  be! 

"See,  Joel,  I'm  all  fixed  up  nice,"  laughed 
Phronsie  from  her  perch. 

Joel's  mouth  worked  dreadfully,  but  he  saw 


"SEE,    JOEL,    I'M    ALT,    FIXED    UP    NICK,"    LAUGHED    PHRONSIE 
FROM    HER    PERCH. 


TOM'S    STORY  287 

Mamsie's  eyes,  so  he  piped  up  bravely,  "I'm  so 
glad,  Phronsie."  It  sounded  very  funnily,  for  it 
died  away  in  his  throat,  and  he  couldn't  have 
said  another  word  possibly;  but  Phronsie  was 
sleepy,  and  didn't  notice.  And  then  the  doctor 
said  they  must  go  out;  so  with  a  last  glance  at 
Phronsie,  to  be  sure  that  she  was  all  right,  Joel 
went  off,  Polly  holding  his  hand. 

The  next  evening  they  were  all  drawn  up  be 
fore  the  library  fire;  Polly  on  the  big  rug  with 
Joel's  head  in  her  lap,  his  eyes  fixed  on  Phronsie, 
who  was  ensconced  in  an  easy-chair,  close  to 
which  Grandpapa  was  sitting. 

"Tell  stories,  do,  Polly,"  begged  Van. 

"Yes,  do,  Polly,"  said  little  Dick,  who  had 
spent  most  of  the  day  in  trying  to  get  near  to 
Phronsie,  keeping  other  people  very  much  oc 
cupied  in  driving  him  off,  as  she  had  to  be  very 
quiet.  "Do,  Polly,"  he  begged. 

"Oh,  Polly's  tired,"  said  Jasper,  knowing  that 
she  had  been  with  Phronsie  all  her  spare  time, 
and  looking  at  the  brown  eyes  which  were  droop 
ing  a  bit  in  the  firelight. 

"Oh,  no,  I  will,"  said  Polly,  rousing  herself, 
and  feeling  that  she  ought  not  to  be  tired,  when 
Phronsie  was  getting  well  so  fast,  and  everything 


288     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

was  so  beautiful  "I'll  tell  you  one.  Let  me 
see,  what  shall  it  be  about?"  and  she  leant  her 
head  in  her  hands  to  think  a  bit. 

"Let  her  off,"  said  Jasper;  "do,  boys.  I'll 
tell  you  one  instead,"  he  said. 

"No,  we  don't  want  yours,"  said  Van,  not 
very  politely.  "We  want  Polly's." 

"For  shame,  Van!"  said  Percy,  who  dearly 
loved  to  reprove  his  brother,  and  never  allowed 
the  occasion  to  slip  when  he  could  do  so. 

"For  shame  yourself!"  retorted  Van,  flinging 
himself  down  on  the  rug.  "You're  everlastingly 
teasing  Polly  to  do  things  when  she's  tired  to 
death.  So  there,  Percy  Whitney." 

"Oh,  I'll  tell  the  story,"  Polly  said,  hastily 
bringing  her  brown  head  up,  while  Phronsie  be 
gan  to  look  troubled. 

"I'd  like  to  tell  a  story,"  said  Tom  Beresford 
slowly,  where  he  sat  just  back  of  the  big  rug. 

All  the  young  folks  turned  to  regard  him,  and 
Van  was  just  going  to  say,  "Oh,  we  don't  want 
yours,  Tom,"  when  Polly  leaned  forward,  "Oh, 
will  you  —  will  you,  Tom?"  so  eagerly  that 
Van  hadn't  the  heart  to  object. 

"Yes,  I  will,"  promised  Tom,  nodding  at  her. 
"Well,  get  down  on  the  rug,  then,"  said  Jas- 


TOM'S    STORY  289 

per,  moving  up;  "the  story-teller  always  has  to 
have  a  place  of  honor  here." 

"That  so?"  cried  Tom;  "well,  here  goes," 
and  he  precipitated  himself  at  once  into  the 
midst  of  things. 

"Ow!  get  out,"  cried  Van  crossly,  and  giving 
him  a  push. 

"Oh  Vanny!"  said  Polly  reprovingly. 

"Well,  he's  so  big  and  long,"  grumbled  Van, 
who  didn't  fancy  anybody  coming  between  him 
and  Polly. 

"I  might  cut  off  a  piece  of  my  legs,"  said 
Tom,  "to  oblige  you,  I  suppose.  They  are 
rather  lengthy,  and  that's  a  fact,"  regarding  them 
as  they  stretched  out  in  the  firelight.  "I'll  curl 
'em  up  in  a  twist  like  a  Turk,"  which  he  did. 

"Well,  now,"  said  Jasper,  "we  are  ready.  So 
fire  ahead,  Beresford." 

Joel,  who  all  this  time  had  been  regarding  his 
friend  curiously,  having  never  heard  him  tell  a 
story  at  Dr.  Marks'  school,  couldn't  keep  his 
eyes  from  him,  but  regarded  him  with  a  fixed 
stare,  which  Tom  was  careful  to  avoid,  by  look 
ing  steadily  into  the  fire. 

"Well,  now,  I'm  not  fine  at  expressing  my 
self,"  he  began. 


29o     FIVE    LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT   SCHOOL 

"I  should  think  not,"  put  in  Joel  uncompli- 
mentarily. 

"Joe,  you  beggar,  hush  up!"  said  Jasper,  with 
a  warning  pinch. 

"Yes,  just  sit  on  that  individual,  will  you, 
Jasper?"  said  Tom,  over  his  shoulder,  "or  I 
never  will  even  begin." 

So,  Jasper  promising  to  quench  all  further  dis 
turbance  on  Joel's  part,  the  story  was  taken  up. 

"I  can  only  tell  a  plain,  unvarnished  tale," 
said  Tom,  "but  it's  one  that  ought  to  be  told, 
and  in  this  very  spot.  Perhaps  you  don't  any 
of  you  know,  that  in  Dr.  Marks'  school  it's 
awfully  hard  to  be  good." 

"Is  it  any  harder  than  in  any  other  school, 
Tom?"  asked  Mrs.  Fisher  quietly. 

Tom  turned,  to  reply:  "I  don't  know,  Mrs. 
Fisher,  because  I  haven't  been  at  any  other 
school.  But  I  can't  imagine  a  place  where  every 
thing  is  made  so  hard  for  a  boy.  To  begin  with, 
there  is  old  Fox." 

"Oh  Tom!"  exclaimed  Phronsie,  leaning  for 
ward,  whereat  old  Mr.  King  laid  a  warning 
hand  upon  the  well  arm.  "There,  there,  Phron 
sie;  sit  back,  child;"  so  she  obeyed.  "But, 
Grandpapa,  he  said  there  was  an  old  fox  at 


TOM'S    STORY  291 

Joey's  school,"  she  declared,  dreadfully  excited, 
and  lifting  her  face  to  his. 

"Well,  and  so  she  is,  Phronsie,"  declared  Tom, 
whirling  his  long  body  suddenly  around,  thereby 
receiving  a  dig  in  the  back  from  Van,  who  con 
sidered  him  intruding  on  his  space,  "a  fox  by 
name,  and  a  fox  by  nature;  but  we'll  call  her, 
for  convenience,  a  person." 

"She's  the  matron,"  said  Percy,  feeling  called 
upon  to  explain. 

"Oh!"  said  Phronsie,  drawing  a  long  breath, 
"but  I  thought  Tom  said  she  was  a  fox,  Grand 
papa." 

"That's  her  name,"  said  Tom,  nodding  at  her; 
"Jemima  Fox  —  isn't  that  a  sweet  name,  Phron 
sie?" 

"I  don't  think  it  is  a  very  sweet  one,  Tom," 
said  Phronsie,  feeling  quite  badly  to  be  obliged 
to  say  so. 

"I  agree  with  you,"  said  Tom,  while  the 
others  all  laughed.  "Well,  Phronsie,  she's  just 
as  far  from  being  nice  as  her  name  is." 

"Oh  dear  me!"  exclaimed  Phronsie,  looking 
quite  grieved. 

"But  I  have  something  nice  to  tell  you,"  said 
Tom  quickly,  "so  I'll  hurry  on,  and  let  the  other 


292     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

personages  at  Dr.  Marks'  slide.  Well,  —  but  I 
want  you  all  to  understand,  though"  —  and  he 
wrinkled  up  his  brows,  —  "  that  when  a  fellow 
does  real,  bang-up,  fine  things  at  that  school,  it 
means  something.  You  will,  won't  you?"  He 
included  them  all  now  in  a  sweeping  glance, 
letting  his  blue  eyes  rest  the  longest  on  Mrs. 
Fisher's  face;  while  Phronsie  broke  in,  "What's 
bang-up,  Grandpapa?" 

"You  must  ask  Tom,"  replied  Grandpapa, 
with  a  little  laugh. 

"Oh,  that's  just  schoolboy  lingo,"  Tom  made 
haste  to  say,  as  his  face  got  red. 

"What's  lingo?"  asked  Phronsie,  more  puz 
zled  than  before. 

"That's  — that's  — oh,  dear!"  Tom's  face 
rivalled  the  firelight  by  this  time,  for  color. 

"Phronsie,  I  wouldn't  ask  any  more  questions 
now,"  said  Polly  gently.  "Boys  say  so  many 
things;  and  it  isn't  necessary  to  know  now.  Let's 
listen  to  the  story." 

"I  will,"  said  Phronsie,  feeling  quite  relieved 

that  it  wasn't  really  incumbent  on  her  to  ask  for 

explanations.     So  she  sat  back  quietly  in  her  big 

chair,  while  Tom  shot  Polly  a  grateful  look. 

"Well,  there  are  lots  of  chaps  at  our  school," 


TOM'S    STORY  293 

went  on  Tom  —  "i  suppose  there  are  at  all 
schools,  but  at  any  rate  we  have  them  in  a  big 
quantity,  —  who  are  mad  when  they  see  the 
other  boys  get  on." 

"Oh,  Tom!"  exclaimed  Polly. 
"Yes,  they  are  — mad  clear  through,"  declared 
Tom  positively.  "And  it's  principally  in  athlet 
ics."  Phronsic  made  a  little  movement  at  this 
word,  but,  remembering  that  she  was  not  to  ask 
questions,  for  Polly  had  said  so,  she  became  quiet 
again. 

"They  simply  can't  bear  that  a  boy  gets  ahead 
of  'em;  it  just  knocks  'em  all  up."  Tom  was 
rushing  on,  with  head  thrown  back  and  gazing 
into  the  fire. 

"Tom,"  said  Joel,  bounding  up  suddenly  to 
take  his  head  out  of  Polly's  lap,  and  to  sit  quite 
straight,  "I  wouldn't  run  on  like  this  if  I  were 
you." 

"You  hush  up,  Pepper,"  said  Tom  coolly.  "I 
haven't  said  a  word  about  you.  I  shall  say  what 
I  like.  I  tell  you,  it  does  just  knock  'em  all  up. 
I  know,  for  I've  been  that  way  myself." 

This  was  getting  on  such  dangerous  ground, 
that  Joel  opened  his  mouth  to  remonstrate,  but 
Polly  put  her  hand  over  it.  "  I'd  let  Torn  tell  his 


294     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

story  just  as  he  wants  to,"  which  had  the  effect 
of  smothering  Joel's  speech  for  the  time  being. 

"I  thought,  Jasper,  you  were  going  to  quench 
Joe,"  observed  Tom,  who  seemed  to  have  the 
power  to  see  out  of  the  back  of  his  head,  and 
now  was  conscious  of  the  disturbance.  "You 
don't  seem  to  be  much  good." 

"Oh,  Polly's  doing  it  this  time,"  said  Jasper; 
"I'll  take  him  in  tow  on  the  next  offence." 

"Yes,  I  have,1'  declared  Tom,  "been  that  way 
myself.  I'm  going  to  tell  you  how,  and  then  I'll 
feel  better  about  it."  His  ruddy  face  turned 
quite  pale  now,  and  his  eyes  shone. 

"Stop  him,"  howled  Joel,  all  restraint  thrown 
to  the  winds,  and  shaking  off  Polly's  fingers. 

Jasper  leaned  forward.  "I'm  bound  to  make 
you  keep  the  peace,  Joe,"  he  said,  shaking  his 
arm. 

"But  he's  going  to  tell  about  things  he  ought 
not  to,"  cried  Joel,  in  an  agony.  "Do  stop  him, 
Jasper." 

Mother  Fisher  leaned  forward,   and  fastened 

her  black  eyes  on  Joel's  face.     "I  think  Tom 

better  go  on,  Joel,"  she  said.     "I  want  to  hear 

it." 

That  settled  the  matter;  and  Joel  threw  him- 


TOM'S    STORY  295 

self  down,  his  face  buried  in  Polly's  lap,  while  he 
stuck  his  fingers  in  his  ears. 

"I'm  going  to  tell  you  all  this  story,"  Tom 
was  saying,  "because  I  ought  to.  You  won't 
like  me  very  well  after  it,  but  it's  got  to  come 
out.  Well,  I  might  as  well  mention  names  now, 
since  Joe  has  got  to  keep  still.  You  can't  guess 
how  he's  been  tormented  by  some  of  those  cads, 
simply  because  he's  our  best  tennis  player,  and 
on  the  football  team.  They've  made  things  hum 
for  him!"  Tom  threw  back  his  head,  and 
clenched  his  fist  where  it  lay  in  his  lap.  "And 
the  rest  of  us  boys  got  mad,  especially  at  one  of 
them.  He  was  the  ringleader,  and  the  biggest 
cad  and  bully  of  them  all." 

No  one  said  a  word. 

"I  hate  to  mention  names;  it  seems  awfully 
mean."  Tom's  face  got  fiery  red  again.  "And 
yet,  as  you  all  know,  why,  it  can't  be  helped. 
Jenkins  —  well  there,  a  fellow  would  want  to  be 
excused  from  speaking  to  him.  And  yet" 
down  fell  Tom's  head  shamefacedly  —  "I  let 
him  show  me  how  he  was  going  to  play  a  das 
tardly  trick  on  Joe,  the  very  day  of  the  tennis 
tournament.  I  did,  that's  a  fact." 

No  one  spoke;  but  Tom  could  feel  what  might 


296     FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

have  been  said  had  the  thoughts  all  been  ex 
pressed,  and  he  burst  out  desperately,  "I  let 
that  cad  take  Joe's  racket." 

A  general  rustle,  as  if  some  speech  were  coming, 
made  him  forestall  it  by  plunging  on,  "His  beau 
tiful  racket  he'd  been  practising  with  for  this 
tournament;  and  I  not  only  didn't  knock  the 
scoundrel  down,  but  I  helped  the  thing  along.  I 
wouldn't  have  supposed  I  could  do  it.  Joe  was 
to  play  with  Ricketson  against  Green  and  me; 
and  two  minutes  after  it  was  done,  I'd  have 
given  everything  to  have  had  it  back  on  Joe's 
table.  But  the  boys  were  pouring  up,  and  it 
was  hidden." 

Tom  could  get  no  further,  but  hung  his  head 
for  the  reaction  sure  to  set  in  against  him  by  all 
this  household  that  had  welcomed  and  enter 
tained  him  so  handsomely. 

"Has  he  got  through?  has  the  beggar  fin 
ished?"  cried  Joel  lustily. 

"Yes,"  said  Polly,  in  a  low  voice,  "I  think  he 
has,  Joel." 

"Then  I  want  to  say"  -Joel  threw  himself 
over  by  Tom,  his  arms  around  him  —  "that  he*s 
the  biggest  fraud  to  spring  such  a  trap  on  me, 
and  plan  to  get  off  that  yarn  here." 


TOM'S    STORY  297 

"I  didn't  intend  to  when  I  came,"  said  Tom, 
thinking  it  necessary  to  tell  the  whole  truth. 
"I  hadn't  the  courage." 

"Pity  you  had  now!"  retorted  Joel.  "Oh,  you 
beggar! "  He  laid  his  round  cheek  against  Tom's. 
"Mamsie,  Grandpapa,  Polly,"  his  black  eyes 
sweeping  the  circle,  "if  I  were  to  tell  you  all 
that  this  chap  has  done  for  me,  — why,  he  took 
me  to  the  place  where  Jenk  hid  the  racket." 

"Pshaw!  that  was  nothing,"  said  Tom  curtly. 

"Nothing?  Well,  I  got  it  in  time  for  the  tour 
nament.  You  saw  to  that.  And  when  Jenk  and 
I  were  having  it  out  in  the  pine  grove  that  night, 
Tom  thought  he  better  tell  Dave;  though  I  can't 
say  I  thank  you  for  that,"  brought  up  Joel  re 
gretfully,  "for  I  was  getting  the  best  of  Jenk." 

Old  Mr.  King  had  held  himself  well  in  check 
up  to  this  point.  "How  did  you  know,  Tom, 
my  boy,  that  Joel  and  er  —  this  — 

"Jenk,"  furnished  Joel. 

"Yes  —  er  —  Jenk,  were  going  to  settle  it  that 
night?" 

"Why,  you  see,  sir,"  Tom,  in  memory  of  the 
excitement  and  pride  over  Joel's  prowess,  so  far 
recovered  himself  as  to  turn  to  answer,  "Joel 
couldn't  very  well  finish  it  there,  for  the  dormi- 


298     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

tory  got  too  hot  for  that  sort  of  thing;  although 
it  would  have  been  rare  good  sport  for  all  the 
fellows  to  have  seen  Jenk  flat,  for  he  was  always 
beating  other  chaps  —  I  mean  little  ones,  not 
half  his  size." 

"Oh  dear  me!"  breathed  Polly  indignantly. 

"Yes;  well,  Joe  promised  Jenk  he  would  finish 
it  some  other  time;  and  Jenk  dared  him,  and 
taunted  him  after  the  tournament.  He  was  wild 
with  rage  because  Joel  won;  and  he  lost  his  head, 
or  he  would  have  let  Joe  alone." 

"I  see,"  exclaimed  Grandpapa,  his  eyes  shin 
ing.  "Well,  and  so  you  sat  up  and  watched  the 
affair." 

"I  couldn't  go  to  bed,  you  know,"  said  Tom 
simply. 

"And  he  would  have  saved  us,  Dave  and  me, 
if  that  Jenk  hadn't  locked  the  door  on  us  when 
he  slipped  in." 

"Cad!"  exclaimed  Tom,  between  his  teeth. 
"He  ought  to  have  been  expelled  for  that.  And 
then  Joe  shinned  up  the  conductor  —  and  you 
know  the  rest." 

Mother  Fisher  shivered,  and  leaned  over  in 
voluntarily  toward  her  boy. 

"Mamsie,"  exclaimed  Joel,  "you  don't  know 


TOM'S    STORY  299 

what  Tom  is  to  me,  in  that  school.  He's  just 
royal  —  that's  what  he  is!"  with  a  resounding 
slap  on  his  back. 

"And  I  say  so  too,"  declared  Mother  Fisher, 
with  shining  eyes. 

"What?"  roared  Tom,  whirling  around  so 
suddenly  that  Van  this  time  got  out  of  the  way 
only  by  rolling  entirely  off  from  the  rug.  "Mrs. 
Fisher  —  you  can't,  after  I've  told  you  this,  al 
though  I'm  no-end  sorry  about  the  racket.  I 
didn't  want  to  tell,  —  fought  against  it,  but  I  had 
to." 

"I  stand  by  what  I've  said,  Tom,"  said  Mrs. 
Fisher,  putting  out  her  hand,  when  Tom  imme 
diately  laid  his  big  brown  one  within  it.  At  this, 
Joel  howled  with  delight,  which  he  was  unable 
to  express  enough  to  meet  his  wishes;  so  he 
plunged  off  to  the  middle  of  the  library  floor, 
and  turned  a  brace  of  somersaults,  coming  up 
red  and  shining. 

"I  feel  better  now,"  he  said;  " that's  the  way 
I  used  to  do  in  the  little  brown  house  when  I 
liked  things." 


XIX    THE   GRAND   ENTERTAINMENT 

OUGHT   we   to,    Mamsie?"     asked   Polly. 
Jasper   and   she    were   in   Mrs.   Fisher's 
room,  and  they  both  waited  for  the  reply  anx 
iously. 

"Yes,  Polly,  I  think  you  ought,"  said  Mother 
Fisher. 

"Oh  dear  me!  Phronsie  can't  have  only  a  lit 
tle  bit  of  it,"  said  Polly. 

"I  know  it.  But  think,  Polly,  the  boys  have 
to  go  back  to  school  so  soon  that  even  if  other 
people  didn't  care  if  it  were  postponed,  they 
would  lose  it.  Besides,  Tom  is  to  be  one  of 
the  chief  people  on  the  program.  No,  no,  Polly, 
there  are  others  to  think  of  outside  of  ourselves. 
You  must  have  your  entertainment  just  as  it 
is  planned,"  Mrs.  Fisher  brought  up  very  de 
cidedly. 

"Well,"  sighed  Polly,  "I  am  glad  that  Papa 
Fisher  says  that  Phronsie  can  hear  a  little  part  of 
it,  anyway." 

300 


THE   GRAND    ENTERTAINMENT  301 

"  Yes,"  said  her  mother  cheerfully,  "and  Helen 
Fargo  is  to  sit  next  to  her.  Mrs.  Fargo  is  to 
take  her  home  early,  as  she  has  not  been  very 
well.  So  you  see,  Polly,  it  will  all  turn  out  very 
good  after  all." 

"But  I  did  so  want  Phronsie  to  be  there 
through  the  whole,"  mourned  Polly. 

"So  did  I,"  echoed  Jasper.  Then  he  caught 
Mother  Fisher's  ey?.  "But,  Polly,  the  boys 
would  lose  it  then,"  he  added  quickly. 

"Oh!"  cried  Polly,  "so  they  would;  I  keep 
forgetting  that.  Dear  me!  why  isn't  everything 
just  right,  so  that  they  all  could  hear  it?"  And 
she  gave  a  little  flounce. 

"Everything  is  just  right,  Polly,"  said  Mrs. 
Fisher  gravely;  "don't  let  me  hear  you  complain 
of  things  that  no  one  can  help." 

"I  didn't  mean  to  complain,  Mamsie,"  said 
Polly  humbly;  and  she  crept  up  to  her,  while 
Jasper  looked  very  much  distressed. 

"Mother  knows  you  didn't,"  said  Mrs.  Fisher, 
putting  her  arm  around  her,  "but  it's  a  bad 
habit,  Polly,  to  be  impatient  when  things  don't 
go  rightly.  Now  run  away,  both  of  you,"  she 
finished  brightly,  "and  work  up  your  program," 
and  she  set  a  kiss  on  Polly's  rosy  cheek. 


302     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"Jasper,"  cried  Polly,  with  happiness  once 
more  in  her  heait  as  they  raced  off,  "I  tell  you 
what  we  can  do.  We  must  change  the  pro 
gram,  and  put  those  things  that  Phronsie  likes,  up 
first." 

"That's  so,"  cried  Jasper,  well  pleased.  " Now, 
what  will  they  be,  Polly?" 

"Why,  Mr.  Dyce's  story  of  the  dog,"  said 
Polly,  "for  one  thing;  Phronsie  thinks  that's  per 
fectly  lovely,  and  always  asks  him  for  it  when  he 
tells  her  stories." 

"All  right,"  said  Jasper.     "What  next?" 

"Why,  Tom  must  sing  one  of  his  funny  songs." 

"Yes,  of  course.  That  will  please  her  ever  so 
much,"  cried  Jasper.  "  Don't  you  know  how  she 
claps  her  hands  when  he's  rehearsing,  Polly?" 

"Yes;  oh,  I  wouldn't  have  her  miss  that  for 
anything,  Jasper,"  said  Polly. 

"No,  indeed,"  cried  Jasper  heartily.  "Well, 
Polly,  then  what  ought  to  come  next?  Let's 
come  into  the  den  and  fix  it  up  now." 

So  they  ran  into  the  den;  and  Jasper  got  out 
the  long  program  all  ready  to  be  pinned  up  be 
side  the  improvised  stage,  on  the  evening  of  the 
great  event,  and  spread  it  on  the  table,  Polly 
meanwhile  clearing  off  the  books. 


THE    GRAND    ENTERTAINMENT  303 

"Let's  see."  He  wrinkled  up  his  brow,  run 
ning  his  finger  down  the  whole  length.  "Now, 
when  I  make  the  new  program,  Mr.  Dyce  goes 
first." 

Polly  stood  quite  still  at  that.  "Oh,  Jasper, 
we  can't  do  it  —  no,  never  in  all  this  world." 

"Why,  Polly,"  — he  turned  suddenly  —  " yes, 
we  can  just  as  easily.  See,  Polly." 

"We  can't  spoil  that  lovely  program  that  took 
you  so  long  to  make,  for  anything,"  said  Polly, 
in  a  decisive  fashion.  "Phronsie  wouldn't  want 
it,"  she  added. 

"Phronsie  isn't  to  know  anything  about  it," 
said  Jasper,  just  as  decidedly. 

"Well,  but  Jasper,  you  can't  make  another; 
you  haven't  the  time,"  said  Polly  in  great  distress, 
and  wishing  she  hadn't  said  anything  about  the 
changes.  "I  didn't  think  there  would  have  to 
be  a  new  program  made." 

"Oh,  Polly,  I  think  we'd  better  have  a  new 
one,"  said  Jasper,  who  was  very  particular  about 
everything 

"I  thought  we  were  going  to  have  changes 
announced  from  the  stage,"  said  Polly.  "Oh, 
why  can't  we,  Jasper?  I'm  sure  they  do  that 
very  often." 


304     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"Well,  that's  when  the  changes  come  at  the 
last  moment,"  said  Jasper  reluctantly. 

"Well,  I'm  sure  this  is  the  last  moment,"  said 
Polly.  "The  entertainment  is  to-morrow  night, 
and  we've  ever  so  much  to  do  yet.  Please,  Jas 
per."  That  "please,  Jasper,"  won  the  day. 

"All  right,  Polly,"  he  said.  "Well,  now  let's 
see  what  ought  to  come  after  Tom's  song." 

"Well,  Phronsie  is  very  anxious  to  hear  Pick 
ering's  piece;  I  know,  because  I  heard  her  tell 
Mamsie  so." 

"Why,  she  has  heard  Pick  recite  that  ever  so 
many  times  since  he  learned  it  for  our  school  ex 
hibition,"  said  Jasper. 

"And  don't  you  know  that's  just  the  very 
reason  why  she  wants  it  again?"  said  Polly, 
with  a  little  laugh. 

"Yes,  of  course,"  said  Jasper,  laughing  too. 
"Well,  she  must  have  it  then.  So  down  goes 
Pick."  He  ran  to  the  table  drawer  and  drew  out 
a  big  sheet  of  paper.  "First,  Mr.  Dyce,  then 
Tom  Beresford,  then  Pickering  Dodge,"  writing 
fast. 

"And  then,"  said  Polly,  running  up  to  look 
over  his  shoulder,  "Phronsie  wants  dreadfully  to 
hear  Tom  play  on  his  banjo." 


THE    GRAND    ENTERTAINMENT  305 

"Oh,  Polly,"  -  Jasper  threw  back  his  head  to 
look  at  her  —  "I  don't  believe  there'll  be  time 
for  all  that;  you  know  the  music  by  Miss  Taylor 
comes  first  as  an  overture.  We  can't  change 
that." 

"Why,"  exclaimed  Polly  in  dismay,  "we  must, 
Jasper,  get  Tom's  banjo  in;  and  there's  Percy's 
piece.  Phronsie  wouldn't  miss  that  for  any 
thing." 

u  Why,  we  shall  have  the  whole  program  in  if  we 
keep  on,"  said  Jasper,  looking  at  her  in  dismay. 

"Oh,  Jasper,  Papa  Fisher  says  that  Phronsie 
may  stay  in  twenty  minutes.  Just  think;  we 
can  do  a  lot  in  twenty  minutes." 

"But  somebody  is  bound  to  be  late,  so  we 
can't  begin  on  time.  Nobody  ever  does,  Polly." 

"We  must,"  said  Polly  passionately,  "begin 
on  time  to-morrow  night,  Jasper." 

"We'll  try,"  said  Jasper,  as  cheerfully  as  he 
could  manage. 

"And  there's  your  piece.  Why,  Jasper,  Phron 
sie  told  me  herself  that  she  must  hear  yours." 

"Well,  and  so  she  told  me  that  she'd  rather 
hear  you  play  your  piece,"  said  Jasper;  "but  you 
and  I,  Polly,  as  long  as  we  change  the  program, 
can't  come  in  among  the  first." 


306     FIVE    LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"No,  of  course  not,"  said  Polly.  "But,  oh, 
Jasper,"  and  she  gave  a  sigh,  "it's  too  bad  that 
you  can't  recite  yours,  for  it  is  most  beautiful!" 
Polly  clasped  her  hands  and  sighed  again. 

"Well,  that's  not  to  be  thought  of,"  said  Jas 
per.  "Now  I  tell  you  how  we'll  fix  it,  Polly," 
he  said  quickly. 

"How?"  asked  Polly  gloomily. 

"Why,  we  have  twenty  minutes  that  Phronsie 
can  stay  in.  Now,  let's  mark  off  all  those  things 
that  she  wants,  except  yours  and  mine,  even  if 
they  come  beyond  the  time;  and  then  we'll  draw 
just  those  that  will  get  into  the  twenty  minutes." 

"Oh,  Jasper,  what  a  fine  idea!"  exclaimed 
Polly,  all  her  enthusiasm  returning. 

"Well,  mark  off  half  of  'em,  and  I'll  write  the 
others,"  said  Jasper,  tearing  off  strips  from  his 
big  sheet  of  paper.  So  Polly  and  he  fell  to  work ; 
and  presently  "Pick,"  and  "Tom"  ("that's  for 
the  song,"  said  Polly),  and  "Banjo,"  and  "Mr. 
Dyce,"  and  "Percy,"  went  down  on  the  little 
strips. 

"Oh,  and  I  forgot,"  said  Polly,  raising  her 
head  from  her  last  strip,  "Phronsie  wanted  to 
hear  Clare  very  much  indeed." 

"Well,  we  should  have  had  the  whole  program 


"()H,    I    DO    HOPE    I    SHALL    DRAW    THE    RIGHT    ONE,    JASPER." 


THE    GRAND    ENTERTAINMENT  307 

with  a  vengeance,"  said  Jasper,  bursting  into  a 
laugh.  "Well,  put  him  down,  Polly." 

So  "Clare"  went  down  on  another  strip,  and 
then  they  were  all  jumbled  up  in  a  little  Chinese 
bowl  on  the  bookcase. 

"Now,  you  draw  first,  Polly,"  said  Jasper. 

"Oh,  no,  let  us  choose  for  first  draw,"  said 
Polly;  "that's  the  way  to  be  absolutely  right." 

So  she  ran  back  to  the  table  and  tore  off  two 
more  strips,  one  short  and  the  other  long,  and 
fixed  them  in  between  her  hands. 

"You  didn't  see  ?  "  she  asked  over  her  shoulder. 

"Not  a  wink,"  said  Jasper,  laughing. 

So  Polly  ran  back,  and  Jasper  drew  the  short 
one.  "There;  you  have  it,  Polly!"  he  cried 
gleefully.  "Oh,  that's  good!" 

"Oh,  I  do  hope  I  shall  draw  the  right  one, 
Jasper,"  she  said,  standing  on  tiptoe,  her  fingers 
trembling  over  the  bowl. 

"They  are  all  of  them  good,"  said  Jasper  en 
couragingly.  So  Polly  suddenly  picked  out  one; 
and  together  they  read,  "Tom." 

"Fine!"  they  shouted. 

"Oh,  isn't  that  perfectly  splendid?"  cried 
Polly,  "because,  you  see,  Phronsie  did  so  very 
much  wish  to  hear  Tom  sing,"  just  as  if  she 


3o8     FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 
hadn't  mentioned  that  fact  before,     "Now    Tas- 

« *  "^ 


per." 


"I'm  in  much  the  same  predicament  as  you 
were,"  said  Jasper,  pausing,  his  hand  over  the 
bowl.     "If   I   shouldn't    choose   the   right    one 
Polly!" 

"They  are  all  of  them  good,"  said  Polly,  laugh 
ing  at  his  face. 

"Oh,  I  know,  but  it  is  a  fearful  responsibility," 
said  Jasper,  wrinkling  his  brows  worse  yet. 
"Well,  here  goes!" 

He  plunged  his  fingers  in,  and  out  they  came 
with  the  strip,  "  Percy." 

"  Now,  Jasper,  you  couldn't  possibly  have  chosen 
better,"  declared  Polly,  hopping  up  and  down, 
"for  Phronsie  did  so  want  to  hear  Percy  speak. 
And  it  will  please  Percy  so.  Oh,  I'm  so  glad!" 

"Well,  I'm  thankful  I  haven't  to  draw  again," 
declared  Jasper,  "for  we  can't  have  but  three 
pieces  beside  the  overture,  you  know.  So  it's 
your  turn  now,  Polly." 

"Oh  dear  me!"    exclaimed    Polly,  the    color 

dying  down  in  her  cheek,  "if  I  shouldn't  draw 

the    right    one,   Jasper  King;   and    it's  the  last 

chance." 

She  stood  so  long  with  her  hand  poised  over 


THE   GRAND    ENTERTAINMENT  309 

the  Chinese  bowl,  that  Jasper  finally  laughed  out. 
"Oh,  Polly,  aren't  your  tiptoes  tired?" 

"Not  half  so  tired  as  I  am,"  said  Polly  grimly. 
"Jasper,  I'm  going  to  run  across  Uie  room,  and 
then  run  back  and  draw  suddenly  without  stop 
ping  to  think." 

"Do,"  cried  Jasper. 

So  Polly  ran  into  the  further  corner,  and  came 
flying  up,  to  get  on  her  tiptoes,  thrust  in  her  fin 
gers,  and  bring  out  the  third  and  last  strip. 

"The  deed  is  done!"  exclaimed  Jasper. 
"  Now,  Polly,  let's  see  who  it  is." 

"Pick!"  he  shouted. 

And  "Pickering!"  screamed  Polly.  And  they 
took  hold  of  hands  and  spun  round  and  round 
the  den. 

"Oh,  dear,  we're  knocking  off  your  beautiful 
program,"  cried  Polly,  pausing  in  dismay. 

"  It  hasn't  hurt  it  any  —  our  mad  whirl  hasn't," 
said  Jasper,  picking  up  the  long  program  where 
it  had  slipped  off  the  table  to  the  floor.  "Polly, 
you  can't  think  how  I  wanted  Pick  to  be  chosen. 
It  will  do  him  so  much  good." 

"And  only  think,  if  I  hadn't  chosen  him  out 
of  that  bowl!"  cried  Polly,  in  dismay  at  the 
very  thought. 


310     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"Well,  you  did,  Polly,  so  it's  all  right,"  said 
Jasper.  "Now  everything  is  fixed,  and  it's  going 
to  be  the  finest  affair  that  ever  was,"  he  added 
enthusiastically;  "and  the  best  of  it  is  —  I  can't 
help  it,  Polly  — that  Mrs.  Chatterton  isn't  to 
come  back  till  next  week,"  he  brought  up  in 
great  satisfaction. 

Mrs.  Chatterton  had  gone  to  New  York  for 
some  weeks,  but  was  to  return  to  finish  her  visit 
at  "Cousin  Horatio's." 

"And  I  am  so  glad  too,"  confessed  Polly,  but 
feeling  as  if  she  oughtn't  to  say  it.  "And  isn't 
everything  just  beautiful,  Jasper!" 

"I  should  think  it  was!"  cried  Jasper  jubi 
lantly.  "Just  as  perfect  as  can  be,  Polly." 

And  the  next  afternoon,  when  the  last  prepara 
tions  for  the  grand  entertainment  were  made,  and 
everybody  was  rushing  off  to  dress  for  dinner,  a 
carriage  drove  up  the  winding  driveway.  There 
were  big  trunks  on  the  rack,  and  two  people  inside. 

Joel,  racing  along  the  hall  with  Tom  at  his 
heels,  took  one  look.  "Oh,  whickets!"  he  ejacu 
lated,  stopping  short,  to  bring  his  feet  down  with 
a  thud. 

"What's  the  row?"  asked  Tom,  plunging  up 
to  him  in  amazement. 


THE   GRAND    ENTERTAINMENT  311 

"That  person."  Joel  pointed  a  finger  at  the 
carriage.  "I  must  tell  Polly,"  and  off  he 
darted. 

Tom,  not  feeling  at  all  sure  that  he  ought  to 
wait  to  see  "that  person,"  wheeled  about  and 
followed. 

"Polly,"  roared  Joel,  long  before  he  got  to  her. 
"She's  come!" 

"Has  she?"  Polly  called  back,  supposing  he 
meant  Alexia.  "Well,  tell  her  to  come  up  here, 
Joe,  in  my  room." 

Joel  took  the  stairs  two  at  a  time,  Tom  waiting 
below,  and  dashed  into  the  blue  and  white  room 
without  ceremony. 

"Polly,  you  don't  understand,"  he  blurted  out; 
"she's  come!" 

Polly  had  her  head  bent  over  a  drawer,  picking 
out  some  ribbons.  At  the  sound  of  Joel's  voice 
she  drew  it  out  and  looked  at  him. 

"Why,  how  funny  you  look,  Joe!"  she  said. 
"What  is  the  matter?" 

"I  guess  you'd  look  funny,"  said  Joel  glumly, 
"if  you'd  seen  Mrs.  Chatterton." 

" Not  Mrs.  Chatterton!"  exclaimed  Polly  aghast; 
and  jumping  up,  her  face  very  pale,  and  upset 
ting  her  box  of  ribbons,  she  seized  Joel's  arm. 


>  12     FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"Tell  me  this  very  minute,  Joel  Pepper,"  she 
commanded,  "what  do  you  mean?" 

"Mrs.  Chatterton  has  just  come.  I  saw  her 
coming  up  the  drive.  There's  Johnson  now  let 
ting  her  in."  Joel  had  it  all  out  now  in  a  burst, 
ready  to  cry  at  sight  of  Polly's  face,  as  the  bustle 
in  the  hall  below  and  the  thin,  high  voice  pro 
claimed  the  worst. 

"Oh,  Joel,  Joel!"  mourned  Polly,  releasing  his 
arm  to  wring  her  hands.  "What  shall  we  do?" 

"She's  an  old  harpy,"  declared  Joel;  "mean, 
horrid,  old  thing!" 

"Oh,  stop,  Joel!"   cried  Polly,  quite  horrified. 

"Well,  she  is,"  said  Joel  vindictively,  "to  come 
before  we'd  got  jack  to  school." 

"W7ell,  don't  say  so,"  begged  Polly,  having 
hard  work  to  keep  back  her  own  words,  crowrding 
for  utterance.  "Mamsie  wouldn't  like  it,  Joey." 

Joel,  with  this  thought  on  his  mind,  only  grum 
bled  out  something  so  faintly  that  really  Polly 
couldn't  hear  as  she  ran  out  into  the  hall. 

"Oh,  Jasper!" 

"Polly,  did  you  know?  What  can  we  do?" 
It  was  impossible  for  him  to  conceal  his  vexation. 
And  Polly  lost  sight  of  her  own  discomfiture,  in 
the  attempt  to  comfort  him. 


THE   GRAND    ENTERTAINMENT  313 

"And  father  —  it  will  just  make  him  as  miser 
able  as  can  be,"  said  Jasper  gloomily.  "And 
he  was  so  happy  over  the  beautiful  time  we  were 
going  to  have  this  evening."  He  was  so  vexed 
he  could  do  nothing  but  prance  up  and  down  the 
hall. 

"Well,  we  must  make  him  forget  that  she  is 
here,"  said  Polly,  swallowing  her  own  distress  at 
the  change  of  all  the  conditions. 

"How  can  we,  Polly?"  Jasper  stopped  for  a 
minute  and  stared  at  her. 

"I  mean,"  said  Polly,  feeling  that  it  was  a  very 
hopeless  case  after  all,  "that  we  mustn't  show 
that  we  mind  it,  her  coming  back,  and  must  act  as 
if  we  forgot  it ;  and  then  that  will  keep  him  happy 
perhaps." 

"If  you  only  will,  Polly,"  cried  Jasper,  seizing 
both  of  her  hands,  "it  will  be  the  best  piece  of 
work  you  ever  did." 

"Oh,  I  can't  do  it  alone,"  exclaimed  Polly,  in 
consternation.  "Never  in  all  this  world,  Jasper, 
unless  you  help  too." 

"Then  we'll  both  try  our  very  best,"  said  Jas 
per.  "I'm  sure  I  ought  to;  'twould  be  mean 
enough  to  expect  you  to  go  at  such  a  task 
alone." 


314     FIVE    LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT   SCHOOL 

"Oh,  you  couldn't  be  mean,  Jasper,"  declared 
Polly,  in  horror  at  the  very  thought. 

"Well,  I  should  be  if  I  left  you  to  tackle  this 
by  yourself,"  said  Jasper,  with  a  grim  little  laugh. 
"So  Polly,  there's  my  hand  on  it.  I'll  help  you." 

And  Polly  ran  back  to  pick  up  her  ribbons 
and  dress  for  dinner,  feeling  somehow  very  happy 
after  all,  that  there  was  something  she  could  do 
for  dear  Grandpapa  to  help  him  bear  this  great 
calamity. 

Tom  Beresford,  meanwhile,  withdrew  from  the 
great  hall  when  Johnson  ushered  in  the  tall, 
stately  woman  and  her  French  maid,  and  took 
shelter  in  the  library.  And  Mrs.  Whitney,  com 
ing  over  the  stairs,  saying,  "Well,  Cousin  Eunice, 
did  you  have  a  pleasant  journey?"  in  the  gentle 
voice  Tom  so  loved,  gave  him  the  first  inkling 
of  the  relationship.  But  he  wrinkled  his  brows 
at  Joel's  exclamation,  and  his  queer  way  of  rush 
ing  off. 

"You  know  journeys  always  tire  me,  Marian. 
So  that  your  question  is  quite  useless.  I  will  sit 
in  the  library  a  moment  to  recover  myself.  Hor- 
tense,  go  up  and  prepare  my  room,"  and  she 
sailed  into  the  apartment,  her  heavy  silk  gown 
swishing  close  to  Tom's  chair. 


THE   GRAND    ENTERTAINMENT  315 

"Who  is  that  boy?"  she  demanded  sharply. 
Then  she  put  up  her  lorgnette,  and  examined 
him  closely  as  if  of  a  new  and  probably  danger 
ous  species. 

Tom  slipped  off  from  his  chair  and  stiffened 
up. 

"It's  one  of  Joel's  friends,"  said  Mrs.  Whit 
ney,  slipping  her  hand  within  the  tall  boy's  arm. 
"The  boys  a.re  at  home  from  school  for  a  week." 

"Joel's  friends,"  repeated  Mrs.  Chatterton,  pay 
ing  scant  attention  to  the  rest  of  the  information. 
Then  she  gave  a  scornful  cackle.  "Haven't  you 
gotten  over  that  nonsense  yet,  Marian?"  she 
asked. 

"No;  and  I  trust  I  never  shall,"  replied  Mrs. 
Whitney  with  a  happy  smile.  "Now,  Cousin 
Eunice,  as  you  wish  to  rest,  we  will  go,"  and  she 
drew  Tom  off. 

"My  boy,"  she  said,  releasing  him  in  the  hall, 
to  give  a  bright  glance  up  at  the  stormy,  aston 
ished  face  above  her,  "  I  know  you  and  Joel  will 
get  dressed  as  rapidly  as  possible  for  dinner,  for 
my  father  will  not  want  to  be  annoyed  by  a  lack 
of  promptness  to-night."  She  did  not  say,  "be 
cause  he  will  have  annoyance  enough,"  but  Tom 
guessed  it  all. 


3i6     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"I  will,  Mrs.  Whitney,"  he  promised  heartily. 
And,  thinking  he  would  go  to  the  ends  of  the 
earth  for  her,  to  be  smiled  on  like  that,  he  plunged 
off  over  the  stairs. 

"I've  seen  the  old  cat,"  he  cried  in  smothered 
wrath  to  Joel,  rushing  into  his  room. 

Joel  sat  disconsolately  on  the  edge  of  his  bed, 
kicking  off  his  heavy  shoes,  to  replace  with  his 
evening  ones. 

"Have  you?"  said  Joel  grimly.  "Well,  isn't 
she  a-  '  then  he  remembered  Mamsie,  and 
snapped  his  lips  to. 

"A,"'  exclaimed  Tom,  in  smothered  wrath, 
as  he  closed  the  door.  "She  isn't  'a'  at  all,  Joe. 
She's  ' the.'" 

"Well,  do  be  still,"  cried  Joel,  putting  on  his 
best  shoes  nervously,  "or  you'll  have  me  saying 
something.  And  she's  visiting  here;  and  Mamsie 
wouldn't  like.it.  Don't,  Tom,"  he  begged. 

"I  won't,"  said  Tom,  with  a  monstrous  effort, 
"but  —  oh  dear  me!"  Then  he  rushed  into  his 
own  room  and  banged  about,  getting  his  best 
clothes  out. 

"Shut  the  door,"  roared  Joel  after  him,  "or 
you'll  begin  to  fume,  and  I  can't  stand  it,  Tom; 
it  will  set  me  off." 


THE   GRAND    ENTERTAINMENT  317 

So  Tom  shut  the  door;  and  with  all  these 
precautions  going  on  over  the  house,  all  the 
family  in  due  time  appeared  at  dinner,  prepared 
as  best  they  could  be  to  bear  the  infliction  of 
Mrs.  Chatterton's  return. 

And  after  the  conclusion  of  the  meal,  why, 
everybody  tried  to  forget  it  as  much  as  possible, 
and  give  themselves  up  to  the  grand  affair  of 
the  evening. 

And  old  Mr.  King,  who  had  been  consumed 
with  fear  that  it  would  have  a  disastrous  effect 
on  Polly  and  Jasper,  the  chief  getters- up  of  the 
entertainment,  came  out  of  his  fright  nicely;  for 
there  they  were,  as  bright  and  jolly  as  ever,  and 
fully  equal  to  any  demands  upon  them.  So  he 
made  up  his  mind  that,  after  all,  he  could  put  up 
with  Cousin  Eunice  a  bit  longer,  and  that  the 
affair  was  to  be  an  immense  success  and  the 
very  finest  thing  possible. 

And  everybody  else  who  was  present  on  the 
eventful  occasion,  said  so  too!  And  it  seemed 
as  if  Mr.  King's  spacious  drawing-room,  famous 
for  its  capacity  at  all  such  times,  couldn't  pos 
sibly  have  admitted  another  person  to  this  enter 
tainment  for  the  benefit  of  the  poor  brakeman's 
family. 


3i8     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

And  Joel,  who  wasn't  good  at  recitations,  and 
who  detested  all  that  sort  of  thing,  and  Van,  for 
the  same  reason,  were  both  in  their  element  as 
ticket  takers.  And  the  little  pink  and  yellow 
squares  came  in  so  thick  and  fast  that  both  boys 
had  all  they  could  do  for  a  while  —  which  was 
saying  a  good  deal  —  to  collect  them. 

And  everybody  said  that  Miss  Mary  Taylor 
had  never  played  such  a  beautiful  overture  — 
and  she  was  capable  of  a  good  deal  along  that 
line  —  in  all  her  life;  and  Phronsie,  sitting  well 
to  the  front,  between  old  Mr.  King  and  Helen 
Fargo,  forgot  that  she  ever  had  a  hurt  arm,  and 
that  it  lay  bandaged  up  in  her  lap. 

And  little  Dick,  when  he  could  lose  sight  of 
the  fact  that  he  wasn't  next  to  Phronsie  instead 
of  Helen  Fargo,  snuggled  up  contentedly  against 
Mother  Fisher,  and  applauded  everything  straight 
through. 

And  old  Mr.  King  protested  that  he  was  per 
fectly  satisfied  with  the  whole  thing,  which  was 
saying  the  most  that  could  be  expressed  for  the 
quality  of  the  entertainment;  and  he  took  par 
ticular  pains  to  applaud  Tom  Beresford,  who 
looked  very  handsome,  and  acquitted  himself 
well. 


THE    GRAND    ENTERTAINMENT  319 

"I  must,"  said  Tom  to  himself,  although  quak 
ing  inwardly,  "for  they've  all  been  so  good  to 
me  —  and  for  Joel's  sake!"  So  he  sang  at  his 
very  best.  And  he  played  his  banjo  merrily,  and 
he  was  encored  and  encored;  and  Joel  was  as 
proud  as  could  be,  which  did  Tom  good  to  see. 

And  Percy  —  well,  the  tears  of  joy  came  into 
his  mother's  eyes,  for  it  wasn't  easy  for  him  to 
learn  pieces,  nor  in  fact  to  apply  himself  to  study 
at  all.  But  no  one  would  have  suspected  it  to 
see  him  now  on  that  stage.  And  Grandpapa 
King  was  so  overjoyed  that  he  called  "Bravo  — 
bravo!"  ever  so  many  times,  which  carried  Percy 
on  triumphantly  over  the  difficult  spots  where  he 
had  been  afraid  he  should  slip. 

"If  only  his  father  could  hear  him!"  sighed 
Mrs.  Whitney  in  the  midst  of  her  joy,  longing  as 
she  always  did  for  the  time  when  the  father  could 
finish  those  trips  over  the  sea,  for  his  business 
house. 

Polly  had  made  Jasper  consent,  which  he  did 
reluctantly,  to  give  his  recitation  before  she 
played;  insisting  that  music  was  really  better 
for  a  finale.  And  she  listened  with  such  delight 
to  the  applause  that  he  received  —  for  ever  so 
many  of  the  audience  said  it  was  the  gem  of  the 


320     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

whole  —  that  she  quite  forgot  to  be  nervous  about 
her  own  performance;  and  she  played  her  noc 
turne  with  such  a  happy  heart,  thinking  over  the 
lovely  evening,  and  how  the  money  would  be, 
oh,  such  a  heap  to  take  down  on  the  morrow  to 
the  poor  brakeman's  home,  that  Jasper  was  turn 
ing  the  last  page  of  her  music  —  and  the  enter 
tainment  was  at  an  end! 

Polly  hopped  off  from  the  music  stool.  There 
was  a  great  clapping  all  over  the  room,  and 
Grandpapa  called  out,  "  Yes,  child,  play  again," 
so  there  was  nothing  for  Polly  to  do  but  to  hop 
back  again  and  give  them  another  selection.  And 
then  they  clapped  harder  yet;  but  Polly  shook 
her  brown  head,  and  rushed  off  the  stage. 

And  then,  of  course.  Grandpapa  gave  them,  as 
he  always  did,  a  fine  party  to  wind  up  the  evening 
with.  And  the  camp  chairs  were  folded  up  and 
carried  off,  and  a  company  of  musicians  came 
into  the  alcove  in  the  spacious  hall,  and  all 
through  the  beautiful,  large  apartments  festivity 
reigned! 

"Look  at  the  old  cat,"  said  Tom  in  a  smoth 
ered  aside  to  Joel,  his  next  neighbor  in  the  "Sir 
Roger  de  Covcrley."  "Isn't  she  a  sight!" 

"I  don't  want  to,"  said  Joel,  with  a  grimace, 


THE   GRAND   ENTERTAINMENT  321 

"and  it's  awfully  mean  in    you,   Tom,    to   ask 
me." 

"I  know  it,"  said  Tom  penitently,  "but  I 
can't  keep  my  eyes  off  from  her.  How  your 
grandfather  can  stand  it,  Pepper,  I  don't  see." 

And  a  good  many  other  people  were  asking 
themselves  the  same  question,  Madam  Dyce 
among  the  number,  to  whom  Mrs.  Chatterton 
was  just  remarking,  "Cousin  Horatio  is  certainly 
not  the  same  man." 

"No,"  replied  Madam  Dyce  distinctly,  "he  is 
infinitely  improved;  so  approachable  now." 

"You  mistake  me,"  Mrs.  Chatterton  said  an 
grily,  "I  mean  there  is  the  greatest  change  come 
over  him;  it's  lamentable,  and  all  brought  about 
by  his  inexplicable  infatuation  over  those  low 
born  Pepper  children  and  their  designing  mother." 

"Mrs.  Chatterton,"  said  Madam  Dyce  —  she 
could  be  quite  as  stately  as  Mr.  King's  cousin, 
and  as  she  felt  in  secure  possession  of  the  right 
in  the  case,  she  was  vastly  more  impressive  - 
'"1  am  not  here  to  go  over  this  question,  nor  shall 
I  discuss  it  anywhere  with  you.  You  know  my 
mind  about  it.  I  only  wish  I  had  the  Peppers 
-  yes,  every  single  one  of  them,"  warmed  up 
the  old  lady, — "in  my  house,  and  that  fine 
woman,  their  mother,  along  with  them." 


XX    THE    CORCORAN   FAMILY 

AND  on  the  morrow  —  oh,  what  a  heap  of 
money  there  was  for  the  poor  brakeman's 
family !  • —  four  hundred  and  twelve  dollars.  For 
a  good  many  people  had  fairly  insisted  on  pay 
ing  twice  the  amount  for  their  tickets;  and  a 
good  many  more  had  paid  when  they  couldn't 
take  tickets  at  all,  going  out  of  town,  or  for 
some  other  good  reason. 

And  one  old  lady,  a  great  friend  of  the  family, 
sent  for  Polly  Pepper  the  week  before.  And 
when  Polly  appeared  before  the  big  lounge,  - 
for  Mrs.  Sterling  was  lifted  from  her  bed  to  lie 
under  the  sofa-blankets  all  day,  —  she  said, 
"Now,  my  dear,  I  want  to  take  some  tickets  for 
that  affair  of  yours.  Gibbons,  get  my  check 
book." 

So  Gibbons,  the  maid,  brought  the  check-book, 
and  drew  up  the  little  stand  with  the  writing- 
case  upon  it  close  to  the  lounge,  and  Mrs.  Sterling 
did  a  bit  of  writing;  and  presently  she  held  out  a 
long  green  slip  of  paper. 
322 


THE    CORCORAN    FAMILY  323 

"Oh!"  cried  Polly,  in  huge  delight,  "I've 
never  had  one  for  my  very  own  self  before." 
There  it  was,  "  Polly  Pepper,"  running  clear 
across  its  face.  And  "Oh!"  with  wide  eyes, 
when  she  saw  the  amount,  "twenty-five  dollars!" 

"Haven't  you  so?"  said  Mrs.  Sterling,  greatly 
pleased  to  be  the  first  in  one  of  Polly's  pleasures. 

"Oh!"  cried  Polly  again,  "twenty-five  dol 
lars!"  And  she  threw  herself  down  before  the 
lounge,  and  dropped  a  kiss  upon  the  hand  that 
had  made  all  this  happiness  for  the  brakeman's 
poor  children. 

"Well  now,  Polly,  tell  me  all  about  it,"  said 
Mrs.  Sterling,  with  a  glow  at  her  heart  warm 
enough  to  brighten  many  a  long  invalid  day. 
"  Gibbons,  get  a  cricket  for  Miss  Mary." 

"Oh,  may  I  sit  here?"  begged  Polly  eagerly,  as 
Gibbons,  placing  the  little  writing-case  back  into 
position,  now  approached  with  the  cricket;  "it's 
so  cosey  on  the  floor." 

"Why,  yes,  if  you  don't  wish  the  cricket," 
said  Mrs.  Sterling  with  a  little  laugh,  "and  I 
remember  when  I  was  your  age  it  was  my  great 
est  delight  to  sit  on  the  floor." 

"It  is  mine,"  said  Polly,  snuggling  up  to  the 
sofa-blankets. 


324     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

Mrs.  Sterling  put  out  her  thin  hand,  and  took 
Polly's  rosy  palm.  "Now  begin,  dear,"  she  said, 
with  an  air  of  content,  and  looking  down  into 
the  bright  face. 

So  Polly,  realizing  that  here  perhaps  was  need 
for  help,  quite  as  much  as  in  the  poor  brake- 
man's  home,  though  in  a  different  way,  told  the 
whole  story,  how  the  two  clubs,  the  Salisbury 
School  Club  and  the  boys'  club,  had  joined  to 
gether  to  help  Jim  Corcoran's  children;  how  they 
had  had  a  big  meeting  at  Jasper's  house,  and 
promised  each  other  to  take  hold  faithfully  and 
work  for  that  object. 

"We  were  going  to  have  a  little  play,"  ob 
served  Polly,  a  bit  sorrowfully,  "but  it  was  thought 
best  not,  so  it  will  be  recitations  and  music." 

"Those  will  be  very  nice,  I  am  quite  sure, 
Polly,"  said  Mrs.  Sterling;  "how  I  should  love 
to  hear  some  of  them!"  It  was  her  turn  to  look 
sad  now. 

"Why-  Polly  sat  up  quite  straight  now, 
and  her  cheeks  turned  rosy. 

"What  is  it,  my  child?"  asked  Mrs.  Sterling. 

"WTould  you  — I  mean,  do  you  want  — oh, 
Mrs.  Sterling,  would  you  like  us  to  come  here 
some  time  to  recite  something  to  you?" 


THE   CORCORAN    FAMILY  325 

Mrs.  Sterling  turned  an  eager  face  on  her 
pillow. 

"Are  you  sure,  Polly,"  a  light  coming  into  her 
tired  eyes,  "that  you  young  people  would  be 
willing  to  come  to  entertain  a  dull,  sick,  old 
woman?" 

"Oh,  I  am  sure  they  would,"  cried  Polly,  "if 
you  would  like  it,  dear  Airs.  Sterling." 

"Like  it  I"  Mrs.  Sterling  turned  her  thin  face 
to  the  wall  for  a  moment.  When  she  looked 
again  at  Polly,  there  were  tears  trickling  down 
the  wasted  cheeks.  "Polly,  you  don't  know," 
she  said  brokenly,  "how  I  just  long  to  hear 
young  voices  here  in  this  dreary  old  house.  To 
lie  here  day  after  day,  child  - 

"Oh!"  cried  Polly  suddenly,  "it  must  be  so 
very  dreadful,  Mrs.  Sterling." 

"Well,  don't  let  us  speak  of  that,"  said  Mrs. 
Sterling,  breaking  off  quickly  her  train  of  thought, 
"for  the  worst  isn't  the  pain  and  the  weakness, 
Polly.  It's  the  loneliness,  child." 

"Oh!"  said  Polly.  Then  it  all  rushed  over 
her  how  she  might  have  run  in  before,  and  taken 
the  other  girls  if  she  had  only  known.  "But  we 
will  come  now,  clear  Mrs.  Sterling,"  she  said 
aloud. 


326     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"Do,"  cried  Mrs.  Sterling,  and  a  faint  color 
began  to  show  itself  on  her  thin  face,  "but  not 
unless  you  are  quite  sure  that  the  young  people 
will  like  it,  Polly." 

"Yes,  I  am  sure,"  said  Polly,  with  a  decided 
nod  of  her  brown  head. 

"Then  why  couldn't  you  hold  some  of  your 
rehearsals  here?"  proposed  Mrs.  Sterling. 
"Shouldn't  we  tire  you?  "  asked  Polly. 
"No,  indeed!"    declared    Mrs.  Sterling,    with 
sudden  energy,   "I  could  bear  a  menagerie  up 
here,  Polly,"  and  she  laughed  outright. 

Gibbons,  at  this  unwonted  sound,  popped  her 
head  in  from  the  adjoining  room  where  she  was 
busy  with  her  sewing,  to  gaze  in  astonishment  at 
her  mistress. 

"I  am  not  surprised  at  your  face,  Gibbons," 
said  Mrs.  Sterling  cheerily,  "for  you  have  not 
heard  me  laugh  for  many  a  day." 

"No,  madam,  I  haven't,"  said  Gibbons,  "but 
I  can't  help  saying  I'm  rejoiced  to  hear  it  now," 
with  a  glance  of  approval  on  Folly  Pepper. 

"So,  Polly,  you  see  there  is  no  danger  of  your 
bringing  me  any  fatigue,  and  I  should  be  only 
too  happy  to  see  you  at  your  next  rehearsal." 
"We  can  come,  I  am  almost  sure,"  said  Polly, 


THE   CORCORAN    FAMILY  327 

"those  of  us  who  want  to  rehearse  at  all.  Some 
of  us,  you  see,  are  quite  sure  of  our  pieces:  Pick 
ering  Dodge  is,  for  one;  he  spoke  at  his  last 
school  exhibition.  But  I'll  tell  the  others.  Oh, 
thank  you  for  asking  us,  Mrs.  Sterling." 

"Thank  you  for  giving  your  time,  dear,  to  a 
dull  old  woman,"  said  Mrs.  Sterling.  "Oh, 
must  you  go?"  She  clung  to  her  hand.  "I 
suppose  you  ought,  child." 

"Yes,"  said  Polly,  "I  really  ought  to  go,  Mrs. 
Sterling.  And  you  are  not  dull,  one  single  bit, 
and  I  like  you  very  much,"  she  added  as  simply 
as  Phronsie  would  have  said  it. 

"Kiss  me  good-bye,  Polly,"  said  Mrs.  Sterling. 
So  Polly  laid  her  fresh  young  cheek  against  the 
poor,  tired,  wasted  one;  hopped  into  her  jacket, 
and  was  off  on  happy  feet. 

And  the  others  said  "Yes,"  when  they  saw 
Polly's  enthusiasm  over  the  plan  of  holding 
a  rehearsal  at  Mrs.  Sterling's;  and  Jasper  pro 
posed,  "Why  couldn't  we  repeat  the  whole  thing 
after  our  grand  performance,  for  her  sometime?" 
and,  before  any  one  could  quite  tell  how,  a  warm 
sympathy  had  been  set  in  motion  for  the  rich, 
lonely  old  lady  in  the  big,  gloomy  stone  mansion 
most  of  them  passed  daily  on  their  way  to  school 


328     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

Well,  the  grand  affair  was  over  now,  and  a 
greater  success  than  was  ever  hoped  for.  Now 
came  the  enjoyment  of  presenting  the  money! 

"Grandpapa,"  said  Polly,  "we  are  all  here." 

"So  I  perceive,"  looking  out  on  the  delegation 
in  the  hall.  For  of  course  all  the  two  clubs 
couldn't  go  to  the  presentation,  so  committees 
were  chosen  to  represent  them  —  Polly,  Clem, 
Alexia,  and  Silvia,  for  the  Salisbury  Club,  and 
Jasper,  Clare,  Pickering,  and  Richard  Burnett 
for  the  boys'  club;  while  old  Mr.  King  on  his 
own  account  had  invited  Joel,  Percy  and  Van, 
and,  of  course,  Tom  Beresford. 

"My!  What  shall  we  do  with  such  a  lot  of 
boys?"  exclaimed  Alexia,  as  they  all  met  in  the 
hall. 

"You  don't  have  to  do  anything  at  all  with 
us,  Alexia,"  retorted  Joel,  who  liked  her  the  best 
of  any  of  Polly's  friends,  and  always  showed  it 
by  sparring  with  her  on  every  occasion,  "only 
let  us  alone." 

"Which  I  shall  proceed  to  do  with  the  great 
est  pleasure,"  said  Alexia.  "Goodness  me!  Joe, 
as  if  I'd  be  bothered  with  you  tagging  on.  You're 
much  worse  than  before  you  wrent  away  to 
school." 


THE   CORCORAN    FAMILY  329 

"Come,  you  two,  slop  your  quarrelling,"  said 
Jasper,  laughing.  "A  pretty  example  you'd 
make  to  those  poor  Corcoran  children." 

"Oh,  we  sha'n't  fight  there,"  said  Alexia 
sweetly;  "we'll  have  quite  enough  to  do  to  see 
all  that  is  going  on.  Oh,  Polly,  when  do  you 
suppose  we  can  ever  start?" 

"Father  has  the  bank-book,"  announced  Jas 
per;  "I  saw  him  put  it  in  his  pocket,  Polly." 

Polly  gave  a  little  wriggle  under  her  coat. 
"Oh,  Jasper,  isn't  it  just  too  splendid  for  any 
thing!"  she  cried. 

"I'm  going  to  walk  with  Polly,"  announced 
Clem,  seizing  Polly's  arm,  "so,  Alexia  Rhys,  I 
give  you  fair  warning  this  time." 

"Indeed,  you're  not,"  declared  Alexia  stoutly. 
"Why,  I  always  walk  with  Polly  Pepper." 

"And  that's  just  the  reason  why  I'm  going  to 
to-day,"  said  Clem,  hanging  to  Polly's  arm  for 
dear  life. 

"Well,  I'm  her  dearest  friend,"  added  Alexia, 
taking  refuge  in  that  well-worn  statement,  "so 
there  now,  Clem  Forsythe." 

"No,  you're  not,"  said  Clem  obstinately; 
"we're  all  her  dearest  friends,  aren't  we,  Polly? 
Say,  Polly,  aren't  we?" 


330     FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"Hush!"  said  Jasper.     "Father's  coming." 

"Well,  I  can't  help  it.  I'm  tired  of  hearing 
Alexia  Rhys  everlastingly  saying  that,  and  push 
ing  us  all  away  from  Polly." 

"Do  hear  them  go  on!"  exclaimed  Tom  Beres- 
ford,  off  on  the  edge  of  the  group.  "Does  she 
always  have  them  carrying  around  like  that?" 

"Yes,"  said  Joel,  "a  great  deal  worse.  Oh, 
they're  a  lot  of  giggling  girls;  I  hate  girls!"  he 
exploded. 

"So  do  I,"  nodded  Tom.  "Let's  keep  clear 
of  the  whole  lot,  and  walk  by  ourselves." 

"Indeed,  we  will,"  declared  Joel.  "You  won't 
catch  me  walking  with  girls  when  I  can  help  it." 

"Well,  I  wonder  which  of  those  two  will  get 
your  sister,  Polly,  this  time,"  said  Tom,  craning 
his  long  neck  to  see  the  contest. 

"Oh,  Alexia,  of  course,"  said  Joel  carelessly; 
"she  always  gets  her  in  the  end." 

But  Joel  was  wrong.  Neither  of  the  girls  car 
ried  off  Polly.  Old  Mr.  King  marched  out  of 
his  reading-room.  "Come,  Polly,  my  child,  you 
and  I  will  walk  together,"  and  he  waited  on  her 
handsomely  out,  and  down  the  walk  to  the  car. 

Tom  and  Joel  burst  into  a  loud  laugh,  in  which 
the  others  joined,  at  the  crestfallen  faces. 


THE    CORCORAN    FAMILY  331 

"Well,  at  least  you  didn't  get  her,  Clem,"  said 
Alexia  airily,  coming  out  of  her  discomfiture. 

"Neither  did  you,"  said  Clem  happily. 

"And  you  are  horrid  boys  to  laugh,"  said 
Alexia,  looking  over  at  the  two.  "But  then,  all 
boys  are  horrid." 

"Thank  you,"  said  Tom,  with  his  best  bow. 

"Alexia  Rhys,  aren't  you  perfectly  ashamed  to 
be  fighting  with  that  new  boy?"  cried  Clem. 

"Come  on,  Alexia,"  said  Jasper.  "I  shall 
have  to  walk  with  you  to  keep  you  in  order," 
and  the  gay  procession  hurrying  after  old  Mr. 
King  and  Polly,  caught  up  with  them  turning  out 
of  the  big  stone  gateway. 

And  then,  what  a  merry  walk  taey  .iaa  to  the 
car!  and  that  being  nearly  full,  they  had  to  wait 
for  the  next  one,  which  luckily  had  only  three 
passengers;  and  Mr.  King  and  his  party  clam 
bered  on,  to  ride  down  through  the  poor 
quarters  of  the  town,  to  the  Corcoran  house. 

"Oh,  misery  me"'  exclaimed  Alexia,  looking 
out  at  the  tumble-down  tenements,  and  garbage 
heaps  up  to  the  very  doors.  "Where  are  we 
going?" 

"Did  you  suppose  Jim  Corcoran  lived  in  a 
palace?"  asked  Pickering  lazily. 


332     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"Well,  I  didn't  suppose  anybody  lived  like 
that,"  said  Alcxia,  wrinkling  up  her  nose  in 
scorn.  "Dear  me,  look  at  all  those  children!" 

'Interesting,  aren't  they?"  said  Pickering,  with 
a  pang  for  the  swarm  of  ragged,  dirty  little  crea 
tures,  but  not  showing  it  in  the  least  on  his  im 
passive  face. 

"Oh,  I  don't  want  to  see  it,"  exclaimed  Alexia, 
'and  I'm  not  going  to  either,"  turning  her  back 
on  it  all. 

"It  goes  on  just  the  same,"  said  Pickering. 

"Then  I  am  going  to  look."  Alexia  whirled 
around  again,  and  gazed  up  and  down  the  ugly 
thoroughfare,  taking  it  all  in. 

"Ugh,  how  can  you!"  exclaimed  Silvia  Home, 
in  disgust.  "I  think  it's  very  disagreeable  to 
even  know  that  such  people  live." 

"Perhaps  'twould  be  better  to  kill  'em  off," 
said  Tom  Beresford  bluntly. 

"Ugh,  you  dreadful  boy!"  cried  Clem  For- 
sythe. 

"Who's  fighting  now  with  the  new  boy?" 
asked  Alexia  sweetly,  tearing  off  her  gaze  from 
the  street. 

"Well,  who  wouldn't?"  retorted  Clem,  "he's 
saving  such  perfectly  terrible  things." 


THE    CORCORAN    FAMILY  333 

Pickering  Dodge  gave  a  short  laugh.  "Beres- 
ford,  you're  in  for  it  now,"  he  said. 

Tom  shrugged  his  shoulders,  and  turned  his 
back  on  them. 

"What  did  you  bring  him  home  for,  Joe?" 
asked  Alexia,  leaning  over  to  twitch  Joel's  arm. 

"To  plague  you,  Alexia,"  said  Joel,  with  a 
twinkle  in  his  black  eyes. 

"Oh,  he  doesn't  bother  me,"  said  Alexia 
serenely.  "Clem  is  having  all  the  trouble  now. 
Well,  we  must  put  up  with  him,  I  suppose,"  she 
said  with  resignation. 

"You  don't  need  to,"  said  Joel  coolly,  "you 
can  let  us  alone,  Alexia." 

"But  I  don't  want  to  let  you  alone,"  said 
Alexia;  "that's  all  boys  are  good  for,  if  they're 
in  a  party,  to  keep  'em  stirred  up.  Goodness 
me,  Mr.  King  and  Polly  are  getting  out!"  as  the 
car  stopped,  and  Grandpapa  led  the  way  down 
the  aisle. 

When  they  arrived  at  the  Corcoran  house, 
which  was  achieved  by  dodging  around  groups  of 
untidy  women  gossiping  with  their  neighbors, 
and  children  playing  on  the  dirty  pavements, 
with  the  occasional  detour  caused  by  a  heap  of 
old  tin  cans,  and  other  debris,  Mr.  King  drew  a 


334     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

long  breath.  "I  don't  know  that  I  ought  to  have 
brought  you  young  people  down  here.  It  didn't 
strike  me  so  badly  before." 

"But  it's  no  worse  for  us  to  see  it  than  for 
the  people  to  live  here,  father,"  said  Jasper 
quickly. 

" That's  very  true  —  but  faugh!"  and  the  old 
gentleman  had  great  difficulty  to  contain  himself. 
"Well,  thank  fortune,  the  Corcoran  family  are  to 
move  this  week." 

"Oh,  Grandpapa,"  cried  Polly,  hopping  up  and 
down  on  the  broken  pavement,  and  "Oh,  father!" 
from  Jasper. 

"Polly  Pepper,"  exclaimed  Alexia,  twitching 
her  away,  "you  came  near  stepping  into  that  old 
mess  of  bones  and  things." 

Polly  didn't  even  glance  at  the  garbage  heap 
by  the  edge  of  the  sidewalk,  nor  give  it  a  thought. 
"Oh,  how  lovely,  Alexia,"  she  cried,  "that  they 
won't  have  but  a  day  or  two  more  here!" 

"Well,  we  are  going  in,"  said  Alexia,  holding 
her  tightly,  "and  I'm  glad  of  it,  Polly.  Oh, 
misery  me!"  as  they  followed  Mr.  King  into  the 
poor  little  house  that  Jim  the  brakeman  had 
called  home. 
The  little  widow,  thanks  to  Mr.  King  and 


THE   CORCORAN    FAMILY  335 

several  others  interested  in  the  welfare  of  the 
brakeman's  family,  had  smartened  up  consider 
ably,  so  that  neither  she  nor  her  dwelling  pre 
sented  such  a  dingy,  woe-begone  aspect  as  on  the 
previous  visit.  And  old  Mr.  King,  being  very 
glad  to  see  this,  still  further  heartened  her  up 
by  exclaiming,  "Well,  Mrs.  Corcoran,  you've  ac 
complished  wonders." 

"I've  tried  to,"  cried  the  poor  woman,  "and 
I'm  sure  'twas  no  more  than  I  ought  to  do,  and 
you  being  so  kind  to  me  and  mine,  sir." 

"Well,  I've  brought  some  young  people  to  see 
you,"  said  the  old  gentleman  abruptly,  who  never 
could  bear  to  be  thanked,  and  now  felt  much 
worse,  as  there  were  several  spectators  of  his 
bounty;  and  he  waved  his  hand  toward  the 
representatives  of  the  two  clubs. 

They  all  huddled  back,  but  he  made  them 
come  forward.  "No,  it's  your  affair  to-day;  I 
only  piloted  you  down  here,"  laughing  at  their 
discomfiture. 

Meanwhile  the  whole  Corcoran  brood  had  all 
gathered  about  the  visitors,  to  rivet  their  gaze 
upon  them,  and  wait  patiently  for  further  devel 
opments. 

"Polly,  you  tell  her,"  cried  Alexia. 


336     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"Yes,  Polly,  do,"  cried  the  other  girls. 

"Yes,  Polly,"  said  Pickering,  "you  can  tell  it 
the  best." 

"Oh,  I  never  could,"  said  Polly  in  dismay. 
"Jasper,  you,  please." 

"No,  no,  Polly,"  said  Van;  "she's  the  best." 

"But  Polly  doesn't  wish  to,"  said  Jasper  in  a 
low  voice. 

:'A11  right,  then,  Jappy,  go  ahead,"  said 
Percy. 

There  was  a  little  pause,  Mrs.  Corcoran  filling 
it  up  by  saying,  "I  can't  ask  you  to  sit  down,  for 
there  ain't  chairs  enough,"  beginning  to  wipe  off 
one  with  her  apron.  "Here,  sir,  if  you'd  please 
to  sit,"  taking  it  over  to  Mr.  King. 

"Thank  you,"  said  the  old  gentleman,  accept 
ing  it  with  his  best  air.  "Now  then,  Jasper"  — 
he  had  handed  a  small  parcel  to  him  under  cover 
of  the  chair- wiping  —  "go  ahead,  my  boy." 

So  Jasper,  seeing  that  there  was  no  help  for  it, 
but  that  he  was  really  to  be  the  spokesman, 
plunged  in  quite  bravely. 

"Airs.  Corcoran,  some  of  us  girls  and  boys  — 
we  belong  to  two  clubs,  you  know,"    -  waving 
his  hand  over  to  the  representatives  —  "wanted 
to  show  your  boys  and  girls,  that  we  were  grate- 


THP:    CORCORAN    FAMILY  337 

ful  to  their  father  for  being  so  good  and  kind  to 
the  passengers  that  night  of  the  accident." 

Here  the  little  widow  put  the  corner  of  her 
apron  up  to  her  eye,  so  Jasper  hurried  on:  "And 
we  wanted  to  help  them  to  get  an  education. 
And  so  we  had  a  little  entertainment,  and  sold 
the  tickets  and  here  is  our  gift!"  Jasper  ended 
desperately,  thrusting  the  package  out. 

"Take  it,  Arethusa,"  was  all  Mrs.  Corcoran 
could  say;  "and  may  the  Lord  bless  you  all!" 
Then  she  put  the  apron  over  her  head  and 
sobbed  aloud. 

"Bless  me!"  exclaimed  old  Mr.  King,  fum 
bling  for  his  handkerchief,  "don't,  my  good 
woman,  I  beg  of  you." 

"And,  oh,  I  do  hope  you'll  learn  to  play  on 
the  piano,"  breathed  Polly,  as  Arethusa  took  the 
package  from  Jasper,  and  slid  back  to  lay  it  in 
her  mother's  hand. 

"  Oh  me!  I'm  going  to  cry,"  exclaimed  Alexia, 
backing  off  toward  the  door. 

"If  you  do,  I'll  throw  you  out,"  said  Joel 
savagely. 

"Well,  I  shall;  I  feel  so  sniffy  and  queer.  Oh, 
Joel,  what  shall  I  do?  I  shall  be  disgraced  for 
life  if  I  cry  here." 


338     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"Hang  on  to  me,"  said  Joel  stoutly,  thrusting 
out  his  sturdy  arm. 

So  Alexia  hung  on  to  it,  and  managed  to  get 
along  very  well.  And  one  of  the  children,  the 
littlest  one  next  to  the  baby,  created  a  diversion 
by  bringing  up  a  mangy  cat,  and  laying  it  on 
Mr.  King's  knees.  This  saved  the  situation  as 
far  as  crying  went,  and  brought  safely  away 
those  who  were  perilously  near  the  brink  of 
tears. 

"Oh  dear  me!"  exclaimed  Polly,  starting  for 
ward,  knowing  how  Grandpapa  detested  cats. 
But  Jasper  was  before  her. 

"Let  me  take  it,  father,"  and  he  dexterously 
brought  it  off. 

"Give  it  to  me,"  said  Polly.  ''Oh,  what  is  its 
name?" 

The  little  thing  who  seemed  to  own  the  cat 
toddled  over,  well  pleased,  and  stuck  his  finger 
in  his  mouth,  which  was  the  extent  to  which  he 
could  go  in  conversation.  But  the  other  children, 
rinding  the  ice  now  broken,  all  came  up  at  this 
point,  to  gather  around  Polly  and  the  cat. 

"It's  lucky  enough  that  Phronsie  isn't  here," 
said  Jasper  in  a  low  voice,  "for  she  would  never 
want  to  leave  that  cat." 


THE    CORCORAN    FAMILY  339 

"Just  see  Polly  Pepper!"  exclaimed  Alexia, 
with  a  grimace.  "Why  doesn't  she  drop  that 
dirty  old  cat?" 

"Because  she  ought  not  to,"  howled  Joel 
sturdily.  Then  he  rushed  over  to  Polly;  and  al 
though  he  had  small  love  for  cats  in  general,  this 
particular  one,  being  extremely  ill-favored  and  lean, 
met  with  his  favor.  He  stroked  her  poor  back. 

Arethusa  drew  near  and  gazed  into  Polly's  face; 
seeing  which,  the  cat  was  safely  transferred  to 
Joel,  and  Polly  turned  around  to  the  girl. 

"Oh,  do  you  want  to  learn  to  play  on  the 
piano?"  asked  Polly  breathlessly,  under  cover  of 
the  noise  going  on,  for  all  the  other  members  of 
the  two  clubs  now  took  a  hand  in  it.  Even 
Percy  unbent  enough  to  interview  one  of  the 
Corcoran  boys. 

"Yes,  I  do,"  said  Arethusa,  clasping  her  small 
red  hands  tightly. 

Her  eyes  widened,  and  her  little  thin  face, 
which  wasn't  a  bit  pretty,  lightened  up  now  in  a 
way  that  Polly  thought  was  perfectly  beautiful. 

"Well,  I  did,  when  I  was  a  little  girl  like  you" 
-  Polly  bent  her  rosy  face  very  close  to  Arethu- 
sa's  —  « Oh?  dreadfully ;  and  I  used  to  drum  on 
the  table  to  make  believe  I  could  play." 


340     FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"So  do  I,"  cried  Arethusa,  creeping  up  close  to 
Polly's  neck,  "an'  th'  boys  laugh  at  me.  But  I 
keep  doin'  it." 

"And  now,  Arethusa,  you  are  really  going  to 
learn  to  play  on  the  piano."  Polly  thrilled  all 
over  at  the  announcement,  just  as  she  had  done 
when  told  that  she  was  to  take  music  lessons. 

"Not  a  really  and  truly  piano?"  exclaimed 
Arethusa,  lost  in  amazement. 

"Yes,  a  really  and  truly  piano,"  declared  Polly 
positively.  "Just  think,  Arethusa,  you  can  give 
music  lessons  and  help  to  take  care  of  your 
mother." 

And  just  then  Grandpapa,  who  had  been  talk 
ing  to  Mrs.  Corcoran,  was  saying,  "Well,  well, 
it's  time  to  be  going,  young  people."  And  Joel 
put  the  cat  down,  that  immediately  ran  between 
his  legs,  tripping  him  up  as  he  turned,  thereby 
making  everybody  laugh;  and  so  the  exit  was 
made  merrily. 

"Wasn't  that  fun!"  cried  Alexia,  dancing  off 
down  the  broken  pavement.  "Oh,  I  forgot,  I'm 
going  to  walk  home  with  Polly,"  and  she  flew  back. 

"You  take  yourself  away,"  cried  old  Mr.  King, 
with  a  laugh.  "I'm  to  have  Polly  to  myself  on 
this  expedition." 


THE   CORCORAN    FAMILY  341 

"Well,  at  any  rate,  Clem,  you  haven't  Polly," 
announced  Alexia  as  before,  running  up  to  her. 

"Neither  have  you,"  retorted  Clem,  in  the 
same  way. 

"So  we  will  walk  together,"  said  Alexia,  coolly 
possessing  herself  of  Clem's  arm.  "Those  two 
boys  can  walk  with  each  other;  they're  just 
dying  to." 

"How  do  you  know  I  want  to  walk  with  you?" 
asked  Clem  abruptly. 

"Oh,  but  do,  you  sweet  thing  you!  Come 
on!"  and  Alexia  dragged  her  off  at  a  smart  pace. 

"Grandpapa,"  cried  Polly,  hopping  up  and 
down  by  his  side,  too  happy  to  keep  still,  while 
she  clung  to  his  hand  just  as  Phronsie  would 
have  done,  "you  are  going  to  have  the  piano 
put  into  the  house  the  very  first  thing  after  il  is 
cleaned  and  ready —  the  very  first  thing?  "  She 
peered  around  into  his  face  anxiously. 

"The  very  first  thing,"  declared  the  old  gentle 
man.  "Take  my  word  for  it,  Polly  Pepper, 
there  sha'n't  another  article  get  in  before  it." 

"Oh,  Grandpapa!"  Polly  wished  she  could 
go  dancing  off  into  the  middle  of  the  thorough 
fare  for  a  regular  spin. 

"Take   care,   Polly,"   laughed   old   Mr.   King, 


342     FIVE    LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

successfully  steering  her  clear  of  an  ash  barrel, 
"this  isn't  the  best  dancing  place  imaginable." 

"Oh,  I  beg  your  pardon,  Grandpapa,"  said 
Polly,  trying  to  sober  down,  "I  didn't  mean  to; 
but  oh,  isn't  it  perfectly  beautiful  that  Arethusa 
is  going  to  take  music  lessons!" 

"It  is,  indeed,"  said  Grandpapa,  with  a  keen 
glance  down  at  her  flushed  face.  "And  it  really 
does  seem  to  be  an  assured  fact,  for  Miss  Brown 
is  engaged  to  begin  as  soon  as  the  family  move 
into  their  new  home." 

"  Oh  —  oh ! "     Polly  could  get  no  further. 

Jasper,  ahead  with  Pickering  Dodge,  looked 
back  longingly. 

"Oh,  I  do  wish,  Grandpapa,"  said  Polly, 
''that  Jasper  could  walk  home  with  us." 

"So  do  I,  Polly,"  said  the  old  gentleman; 
"but  you  see  he  can't,  for  then  I  should  have 
the  whole  bunch  of  those  chattering  creatures 
around  me,"  and  he  laughed  grimly.  "You 
must  tell  him  all  about  what  we  are  talking  of, 
as  soon  as  you  get  home." 

"Yes,  I  will,"  declared  Polly,  "the  very  first 
thing.  Now,  Grandpapa,  please  go  on." 

"Well,  I  had  told  Mrs.  Corcoran  all  about  the 
new  house,  you  know,  Polly,  before." 


THE   CORCORAN    FAMILY  343 

"Yes,  I  know,  Grandpapa,"  said  Polly,  with  a 
happy  little  wriggle. 

"And  so  to-day  I  explained  about  the  bank 
book;  told  her  where  the  money  was  deposited, 
and  showed  her  how  to  use  it.  By  the  way, 
Polly,  Jasper  made  a  good  speech  now,  didn't 
he?"  The  old  gentleman  broke  off,  and  fairly 
glowed  with  pride. 

"Oh,  didn't  he!"  cried  Polly,  in  a  burst.  "I 
thought  it  was  too  splendid  for  anything!  And 
he  didn't  know  in  the  least  that  he  had  to  do  it. 
He  thought  you  were  going  to  give  the  bank 
book,  Grandpapa." 

"I  know  it,"  chuckled  Mr.  King.  "Well  now, 
Polly,  I  thought  I'd  try  my  boy  without  warning. 
Because,  you  see,  that  shows  what  stuff  a  person 
is  made  of  to  respond  at  such  a  time,  and  he's 
all  right,  Jasper  is;  he  came  up  to  the  demand 
nicely." 

"It  was  perfectly  elegant!"  cried  Polly,  with 
glowing  cheeks. 

"And  those  two  boys  —  the  largest  ones  —  are 
to  begin  in  the  other  public  school  next  week," 
continued  the  old  gentleman. 

"Everything  begins  next  week,  doesn't  it, 
Grandpapa?"  cried  Polly. 


344     FIVE    LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"It  seems  so,"  said  Mr.  King,  with  a  laugh. 
"Well,  Polly,  here  we  are  at  our  car." 

And  having  the  good  luck  to  find  it  nearly 
empty,  the  whole  party  hopped  on,  and  began 
the  ride  back  again. 

"Now,"  said  Jasper,  when  they  had  reached 
home,  "for  some  comfort,"  and  he  drew  Polly 
off  into  a  quiet  corner  in  the  library.  "Let's 
have  the  whole,  Polly.  You  said  you'd  tell  me 
what  you  and  father  were  talking  of  all  the  way 
home." 

"And  so  I  will,"  cried  Polly,  too  elated  to 
begin  at  the  right  end.  "Well,  Jasper,  you  must 
know  that  Arcthusa's  piano  is  actually  engaged." 

"It  is!"  exclaimed  Jasper.     "Hurrah!" 

"Yes,"  said  Polly,  with  shining  eyes,  "and  it's 
going  into  the  new  home  the  very  first  thing. 
Grandpapa  promised  me  that." 

"Isn't  father  good!"  cried  Jasper,  a  whole 
world  of  affection  in  his  dark  eyes. 

"Good?"  repeated  Polly,  "he's  as  good  as 
good  can  be,  Jasper  King!" 

"Well,  what  else?"  cried  Jasper. 

"And  the  boys  —  the  two  biggest  ones  —  are 
going  into  the  other  public  school,  the  one  near 
est  their  new  home,  you  know." 


THE    CORCORAN    FAMILY  345 

"Yes,  I  see,"  said  Jasper,  "that's  fine.  That 
will  bring  them  in  with  better  boys." 

"Yes,  and  Grandpapa  told  Mrs.  Corcoran  all 
about  the  money  we  made  at  the  entertainment, 
and  that  he  put  it  in  the  bank  for  her  this  morn 
ing.  And  he  showed  her  how  to  use  the  check 
book." 

"Polly,"  said  Jasper,  very  much  excited,  "what 
if  we  girls  and  boys  hadn't  done  this  for  those 
children!  Just  think,  Polly,  only  suppose  it!" 

"I  know  it,"  cried  Polly.  "Oh,  Jasper!" 
drawing  a  long  breath.  "But  then,  you  see,  we 
did  do  it." 

"Yes,"  said  Jasper,  bursting  into  a  laugh,  "we 
surely  did,  Polly." 


XXI    AT   THE   PLAY 

,  Cathie!"  Polly  rushed  out  to  meet  the 
girl  that  Johnson  was  just  ushering  in. 
"I  am  so  glad  you've  come!" 

A  pleased  look  swept  over  the  girl's  face,  but 
she  didn't  say  anything. 

"Now  come  right  upstairs;  never  mind  the 
bag,  Johnson  will  bring  that  for  you." 

"I  will  take  it  up,  Miss,"  said  Johnson,  secur 
ing  it. 

"Mamsie  is  waiting  to  see  you,"  cried  Polly, 
as  they  ran  over  the  stairs,  Cathie  trying  to  still 
the  excited  beating  of  her  heart  at  the  thought 
that  she  was  really  to  visit  Polly  Pepper  for  three 
whole  days!  "Oh,  Mamsie,  here  she  is!" 

"I  am  glad  to  see  you,  Cathie,"  said  Mrs. 
Fisher  heartily,  taking  her  cold  hand.  "  Now,  you 
are  to  have  the  room  right  next  to  Polly's." 

"Yes,  the  same  one  that  Alexia  always  has 
when  she  stays  here,"  said  Polly.  "See,  Cathie," 
bearing  her  off  down  the  hall.  "Oh,  it  is  so 
346 


AT   THE   PLAY  347 

good  to  get  you  here,"  she  cried  happily.  "Well, 
here  we  are!" 

"You  can't  think,"  began  Cathie  brokenly; 
then  she  turned  away  to  the  window  —  "it's  so 
good  of  you  to  ask  me,  Polly  Pepper!" 

"It's  so  good  of  you  to  come,"  said  Polly  mer 
rily,  and  running  over  to  her.  "There,  Johnson 
has  brought  your  bag.  Aren't  you  going  to  un 
pack  it,  Cathie?  —  that  is,  I  mean"  —  with  a 
little  laugh  —  "after  you've  got  your  hat  and 
jacket  off.  And  then,  when  your  things  are  all 
settled,  we  can  go  downstairs,  and  do  whatever 
you  like.  Perhaps  we'll  go  in  the  greenhouse." 

"  Oh,  Polly!"  exclaimed  Cathie,  quite  forget 
ting  herself,  and  turning  around. 

"And  can't  I  help  you  unpack?"  asked  Polly, 
longing  to  do  something. 

"No,"  said  Cathie,  remembering  her  plain 
clothes  and  lack  of  the  pretty  trifles  that  girls 
delight  in;  then  seeing  Polly's  face,  she  thought 
better  of  it.  "Yes,  you  may,"  she  said  sud 
denly. 

So  Polly  unstrapped  the  bag,  and  drew  out 
the  clothes,  all  packed  very  neatly.  "Why, 
Cathie  Harrison!"  she  exclaimed  suddenly. 

"What?"  asked  Cathie,  hanging  up  her  jacket 


348     FIVE  LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

in  the  closet,  and  putting  her  head  around  the 
door. 

"Oh,  what  a  lovely  thing!"  Polly  held  up  a 
little  carved  box  of  Chinese  workmanship. 

"Isn't  it?"  cried  Cathie,  well  pleased  that  she 
had  anything  worthy  of  notice.  "My  uncle 
brought  that  from  China  to  my  mother  when 
she  was  a  little  girl,  and  she  gave  it  to  me." 

"Well,  it's  too  lovely  for  anything,"  declared 
Polly,  running  to  put  it  on  the  toilet  table.  "I 
do  think  Chinese  carvings  are  so  pretty!" 

"Do  you?"  cried  Cathie,  well  pleased.  "My 
mother  has  some  really  fine  ones,  I'll  show  you 
sometime,  if  you'd  like  to  see  them,  Polly." 

"Indeed,  I  should,"  said  Polly  warmly.  So 
Cathie,  delighted  that  she  really  had  something 
that  could  interest  Polly  Pepper,  hurried  through 
her  preparations;  and  then  the  two  went  down 
stairs  arm  in  arm,  and  out  to  the  greenhouse. 

"Polly  Pepper!"  exclaimed  Cathie  on  the 
threshold,  "I  don't  think  I  should  ever  envy  you 
living  in  that  perfectly  beautiful  house,  because 
it  just  scares  me  to  set  foot  in  it." 

"Well,  it  needn't,"  said  Polly,  with  a  little 
laugh.  "You  must  just  forget  all  about  its  being 
big  and  splendid." 


AT    THE   PLAY 


349 


"But  I  can't,"  said  Cathie,  surprised  at  her 
self  for  being  so  communicative,  "because,  you 
see,  I  live  in  such  a  little,  tucked-up  place." 

"Well,  so  did  I,"  said  Polly,  with  a  bob  of 
her  brown  head,  "before  we  came  here  to  Grand 
papa's;  but  oh,  you  can't  think  how  beautiful  it 
was  in  the  little  brown  house  —  you  can't  begin 
to  think,  Cathie  Harrison'" 

"I  know,"  said  Cathie,  who  had  heard  the 
story  before.  "I  wish  you'd  tell  it  all  to  me 
now,  Polly." 

"I  couldn't  tell  it  all,  if  I  talked  a  year,  I 
guess,"  said  Polly  merrily,  'and  there  is  Turner 
waiting  to  speak  to  me.  Come  on,  Cathie." 
And  she  ran  down  the  long  aisle  between  the 
fragrant  blossoms. 

But  Cathie  stopped  to  look  and  exclaim  so 
often  to  herself  that  she  made  slow  progress. 

"Shall  I  make  her  up  a  bunch,  Miss  Mary?" 
asked  old  Turner,  touching  his  cap  respectfully, 
and  looking  at  the  visitor. 

"Oh,  if  you  please,"  cried  Polly  radiantly; 
"and  do  put  some  heliotrope  in,  for  Cathie  is  so 
fond  of  that.  And  please  let  her  have  a  bunch 
every  morning  when  I  have  mine,  Turner,  for 
she  is  to  stay  three  days." 


350     FIVE    LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"It  shall  be  as  you  wish,  Miss  Mary,"  said 
Turner,  quite  delighted  at  the  order. 

"And  please  let  it  be  very  nice,  Turner,"  said 
Polly  hastily. 

"I  will,  Miss;  don't  fear,  Miss  Mary,  I'll  have 
it  as  nice  as  possible,"  as  Polly  ran  off  to  meet 
Cathie. 

"I  should  stay  here  every  single  minute  I  was 
at  home  if  I  lived  here,  Polly  Pepper,"  declared 
Cathie.  "Oh,  oh!"  sniffing  at  each  discovery  of 
a  new  blossom. 

"Oh,  no,  you  wouldn't,  Cathie,"  contradicted 
Polly,  with  a  laugh;  "not  if  you  had  to  get  your 
lessons,  and  practise  on  the  piano,  and  go  out 
riding  and  driving,  and  play  with  the  boys." 

"Oh  dear  me!"  cried  Cathie,  "I  don't  care  very 
much  for  boys,  because,  you  see,  Polly,  I  never 
know  what  in  this  world  to  say  to  them." 

"  That's  because  you  never  had  any  brothers," 
said  Polly,  feeling  how  very  dreadful  such  a 
state  must  be.  "I  can't  imagine  anything  with 
out  Ben  and  Joel  and  Davie." 

"And  now  you've  such  a  lot  of  brothers,  with 
Jasper  and  all  those  Whitney  boys;  oh,  Polly, 
don't  they  scare  you  to  death  sometimes?" 

Polly  burst  into  such  a  merry  peal  of  laughter, 


AT    THE   PLAY  351 

that  they  neither  of  them  heard  the  rushing  feet, 
until  Cathie  glanced  up.  "Oh  dear  me!  there 
they  are  now!" 

"Well,  to  be  sure;  we  might  have  known  you 
were  here,  Polly,"  cried  Jasper,  dashing  up  with 
Clare.  "How  do  you  do,  Cathie?"  putting  out 
his  hand  cordially. 

Clare  gave  her  a  careless  nod,  then  turned  to 
Polly.  "It's  to  be  fine,"  he  said. 

"What?"  asked  Polly  wonderingly. 

"Hold  on,  old  chap."  Jasper  gave  him  a  clap 
on  the  back.  "Father  is  going  to  tell  her 
himself.  Come  on,  Polly  and  Cathie,  to  his 
room." 

"Come,  Cathie,"  cried  Polly.  "Let's  beat 
those  boys,"  she  said,  when  once  out  of  the 
greenhouse.  "We're  going  to  race,"  she  cried 
over  her  shoulder. 

"Is  that  so?"  said  Jasper.  "Clare,  we  must 
beat  them,"  and  they  dashed  in  pursuit. 

But  they  couldn't;  the  two  girls  flew  over  the 
lawn,  and  reached  the  stone  steps  just  a  breath 
ing  space  before  Jasper  and  Clare  plunged  up. 

"Well  done,"  cried  Jasper,  tossing  back  the 
hair  from  his  forehead. 

"I  didn't  know  you  could  run  so  well,"  ob- 


352     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

served  Clare,  with  some  show  of  interest  in 
Cathie. 

"Oh,  she  runs  splendidly,"  said  Polly,  with 
sparkling  eyes.  "Let's  try  a  race  sometime,  Jas 
per;  we  four,  down  the  Long  Path,  while  Cathie's 
here." 

"Capital!  We  will,"  assented  Jasper,  "but 
now  for  father's  room." 

There  sat  old  Mr.  King  by  his  writing  table. 
"Well,  Polly  — how  do  you  do,  Cathie?  I  am 
glad  to  see  you,"  he  said,  putting  out  his  hand 
kindly. 

As  well  as  she  could  for  her  terror  at  being 
actually  in  that  stately  Mr.  King's  presence, 
Cathie  stumbled  forward  and  laid  her  hand  in  his. 

"Now,  Polly,"  said  the  old  gentleman,  turning 
off  to  pick  up  a  little  envelope  lying  on  the  table, 
"I  thought  perhaps  you  would  like  to  take  your 
young  friend  to  the  play  to-night,  so  I  have  the 
tickets  for  us  five,"  with  a  sweep  of  his  hand  over 
to  the  two  boys. 

"Grandpapa!"  cried  Polly,  precipitating  her 
self  into  his  arms,  "oh,  how  good  you  are!" 
which  pleased  the  old  gentleman  immensely. 

"Isn't  that  no-end  fine!"  cried  Jasper  in  de 
light.  "Father,  we  can't  thank  you!" 


AT   THE   PLAY  353 

"Say  no  more,  my  boy,"  cried  the  old  gentle 
man.  "I'm  thanked  enough.  And  so,  Polly, 
my  girl,  you  like  it,"  patting  her  brown  hair. 

"Like  it!"  cried  Polly,  lifting  her  glowing 
cheeks,  —  "oh,  Grandpapa!" 

"Run  along  with  you  then,  all  of  you.  Clare, 
be  over  in  time." 

"Yes,  sir,"  cried  Clare.  "Oh,  thank  you,  Mr. 
King,  ever  so  much!"  as  they  all  scampered  off 
to  get  their  lessons  for  the  next  day;  for  going  to 
a  play  was  always  a  special  treat,  on  condition 
that  no  studies  were  neglected. 

"Oh,  Cathie,"  cried  Polly,  before  she  flew  into 
the  window-seat  to  curl  up  with  her  books,  her 
favorite  place  for  studying  her  lessons,  "  Grand 
papa  is  taking  us  to  the  play  because  you  are 
here." 

"And  I've  never  been  to  a  play,  Polly,"  said 
Cathie,  perfectly  overwhelmed  with  it  all. 

"Haven't  you?  Oh,  I'm  so  glad  —  I  mean, 
I'm  glad  you're  going  with  us,  and  that  Grand 
papa  is  to  take  you  to  the  first  one.  But,  oh 
me!"  and  Polly  rushed  off  to  attack  her  books. 
"Now,  don't  let  us  speak  a  single  word,  Cathie 
Harrison,"  as  Cathie  picked  out  a  low  rocker  for 
her  choice  of  a  seat;  and  pretty  soon,  if  Miss 


354     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

Salisbury  herself  had  come  into  the  room,  she 
would  have  been  perfectly  satisfied  with  the  dili 
gent  attention  the  books  were  receiving. 

But  Miss  Salisbury  was  not  thinking  of  her 
pupils  this  afternoon.  She  was  at  this  moment 
closeted  with  Miss  Anstice,  and  going  over  a 
conversation  that  they  frequently  held,  these  past 
days,  without  much  variation  in  the  subject  or 
treatment. 

"If  there  were  anything  we  could  do  to  repay 
him,  sister,"  said  Miss  Anstice  mournfully,  "I'd 
do  it,  and  spend  my  last  cent.  But  what  is 
there?7'  Then  she  paced  the  floor  with  her 
mincing  little  steps,  now  quite  nervous  and  flur 
ried. 

"Sister,"  said  Miss  Salisbury,  doing  her  best 
to  b»  quite  calm,  "it  isn't  a  matter  of  payment; 
for  whatever  we  did,  we  never  could  hope  to  re 
place  that  exquisite  little  vase.  Miss  Clemcy  had 
pointed  out  to  me  the  fact  that  it  was  quite  the 
gem  in  his  collection." 

"I  know;  I  thought  my  heart  would  stop  when 
I  heard  the  crash."  Miss  Anstice  wrung  her 
little  hands  together  at  the  memory.  "Oh,  that 
careless  Lily!" 

"Sister,  pray  let  us  look  at  this  matter  — 


AT   THE    PLAY  355 

"I  am  looking  at  it.  I  see  nothing  but  that 
vase,  smashed  to  pieces;  and  I  cannot  sleep  at 
night  for  fear  I'll  dream  how  it  looked  in  those 
very  little  bits." 

"  Sister  —  pray  —  pray  - 

"And  if  you  want  me  to  tell  you  what  I  think 
should  be  done,  I'm  sure  I  can't  say,"  added 
Miss  Anstice  helplessly. 

"Well,  then,  I  must  think,"  declared  Miss 
Salisbury,  with  sudden  energy,  "for  some  repay 
ment  must  surely  be  made  to  him,  although  they 
utterly  refused  it  when  you  and  I  called  and 
broached  the  subject  to  them." 

"It  was  certainly  a  most  unfortunate  day  from 
beginning  to  end,"  said  Miss  Anstice,  with  a  sug 
gestion  of  tears  in  her  voice,  and  a  shiver  at  the 
remembrance  of  the  front  breadth  of  her  gown. 
"Sister,  I  hope  and  pray  that  you  will  never 
have  another  picnic  for  the  school." 

"I  cannot  abolish  that  annual  custom,  An 
stice,"  said  Miss  Salisbury  firmly,  "for  the  girls 
get  so  much  enjoyment  out  of  it.  They  are  al 
ready  talking  about  the  one  to  come  next  year." 

"Ugh!"  shuddered  Miss  Anstice. 

"And  anything  that  holds  an  influence  over 
them,  I  must  sustain.  You  know  that  yourself, 


356     FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

sister.  And  it  is  most  important  to  give  them 
some  recreations." 

"But  picnics!''  Miss  Anstice  held  up  her  lit 
tle  hands,  as  if  quite  unequal  to  any  words. 

"And  I  am  very  sorry  that  we  were  out  when 
Mr.  Clemcy  and  his  sister  called  yesterday  after 
noon,  for  I  am  quite  sure  I  could  have  arranged 
matters  so  that  we  need  not  feel  under  obliga 
tions  to  them." 

Miss  Anstice,  having  nothing  to  say,  kept  her 
private  reflections  mournfully  to  herself;  and  it 
being  the  hour  for  the  boarding  pupils  to  go  out 
to  walk,  and  her  duty  to  accompany  them,  the 
conference  broke  up. 

"Polly,"  called  Mrs.  Chatterton,  as  Polly  ran 
past  her  door,  her  opera  glasses  Grandpapa  had 
given  her  last  Christmas  in  the  little  plush  bag 
dangling  from  her  arm,  and  a  happy  light  in  her 
eyes.  Cathie  had  gone  downstairs,  and  it  was 
getting  nearly  time  to  set  forth  for  that  enchanted 
land  —  the  playhouse! 

Polly  ran  on,  scarcely  conscious  that  she  was 
called.  "Did  you  not  hear  me?"  asked  Mrs. 
Chatterton  angrily,  coming  to  her  door. 

"Oh,  I  beg  pardon,"  said  Polly,  really  glad 
ever  since  that  dreadful  time  when  Mrs.  Chatter- 


AT    THE   PLAY  357 

ton  was  ill,  to  do  anything  for  her.  "For  I 
never  shall  forget  how  naughty  I  was  to  her," 
Polly  said  over  to  herself  now  as  she  turned  back. 
"You  may  well  beg  my  pardon,"  said  Mrs. 
Chatterton,  "for  of  all  ill-bred  girls,  you  are  cer 
tainly  the  worst.  I  want  you."  Then  she  dis 
appeared  within  her  room. 

"What  is  it?"  asked  Polly,  coming  in.  "I 
shall  be  so  glad  to  help." 

"Help!"  repeated  Mrs.  Chatterton  in  scorn. 
She  was  standing  over  by  her  toilet  table.  "  You 
can  serve  me;  come  here." 

The  hot  blood  mounted  to  Polly's  brow.  Then 
she  thought,  "Oh,  what  did  I  say?  That  I 
would  do  anything  for  Mrs.  Chatterton  if  she 
would  only  forgive  me  for  those  dreadful  words 
I  said  to  her."  And  she  went  over  and  stood  by 
the  toilet  table. 

"Oh,  you  have  concluded  to  come?"  observed 
Mrs.  Chatterton  scornfully.  "So  much  the  bet 
ter  it  would  be  if  you  could  always  learn  what 
your  place  is  in  this  house.  There,  you  see  this 
lace?"  She  shook  out  her  flowing  sleeve,  glad 
to  display  her  still  finely  moulded  arm,  that  had 
been  one  of  her  chief  claims  to  distinction,  even 
if  nobody  but  this  little  country-bred  girl  saw  it. 


358     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

Polly  looked  at  the  dangling  lace,  evidently 
just  torn,  with  dismay;  seeing  which,  Mrs.  Chat- 
terton  broke  out  sharply,  "Get  the  basket,  girl, 
over  there  on  the  table,  and  sew  it  as  well  as  you 
can." 

"Polly!"  called  Jasper  over  the  stairs,  "where 
are  you?" 

Polly  trembled  all  over  as  she  hurried  across 
the  room  to  get  the  sewing  basket.  Grandpa  pp. 
was  not  ready,  she  knew;  but  she  always  ran 
down  a  little  ahead  for  the  fun  of  the  last  mo 
ments  waiting  with  Jasper,  when  old  Mr.  King 
was  going  to  take  them  out  of  an  evening.  And 
in  the  turmoil  in  her  mind,  she  didn't  observe 
that  Hortense  had  misplaced  the  basket,  putting 
it  on  the  low  bookcase,  and  was  still  searching 
all  over  the  table  as  directed,  when  Mrs.  Chatter- 
ton's  sharp  voice  filled  her  with  greater  dismay. 

"Stupid!  if  you  would  put  heart  into  your 
search,  it  would  be  easy  enough  to  find  it." 

"Polly,  where  are  you!"  Polly,  in  her  haste 
not  to  displease  Mrs.  Chatterton  by  replying  to 
Jasper  before  finding  the  basket,  knocked  over 
one  of  the  small  silver-topped  bottles  with  which 
the  dressing  table  seemed  to  be  full,  and  before 
she  could  rescue  it,  it  fell  to  the  floor. 


AT    THE    PLAY  359 

"Go  out  of  this  room,"  commanded  Mrs. 
Chatterton,  with  blazing  eyes.  "I  ought  to  have 
known  better  than  to  call  upon  a  heavy-handed, 
low-born  country  girl,  to  do  a  delicate  service." 

"I  didn't  mean-  "  began  poor  Polly. 

"Go  out  of  this  room!"  Mrs.  Chatterton, 
now  thoroughly  out  of  temper,  so  far  forgot  her 
self  as  to  stamp  her  foot;  and  Polly,  feeling 
as  if  she  had  lost  all  chance  in  her  future  en 
counters  with  Mrs.  Chatterton,  of  atoning  for 
past  short-comings,  went  sadly  out,  to  meet,  just 
beside  the  door,  Jasper,  with  amazement  on  his 
face. 

"Oh,  Polly,  I  thought  you  were  never  coming." 
Then  he  saw  her  face. 

"That  old — "  he  said  under  his  breath. 
"Polly,  don't  ever  go  into  her  room  again.  I 
wouldn't,"  as  they  hurried  off  downstairs. 

"She  won't  let  me,"  said  Polly,  her  head 
drooping,  and  the  brightness  all  gone  from  her 
face.  "She  won't  ever  let  me  go  again,  I  know." 

"Won't  let  you?  Well,  I  guess  you'll  not  give 
her  a  chance,"  cried  Jasper  hotly.  "Polly,  I 
do  really  wish  that  father  would  tell  her  to  go 
away," 

"Oh,  Jasper,"  cried  Polly,  in  alarm,  "don't  say 


360     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

one  word  to  Grandpapa.     Promise  me  you  won't, 
Jasper." 

"Well,  father  is  tired  of  her.  She  wears  on 
him  terribly,  Polly,"  said  Jasper  gloomily. 

"I  know,"  said  Polly  sadly.  "And  oh,  Jasper, 
if  you  say  one  word,  he  will  really  have  her  go. 
And  I  was  so  bad  to  her,  you  know,"  and  the 
tears  came  into  Polly's  brown  eyes. 

"Well,  she  must  have  been  perfectly  terrible  to 
you,"  said  Jasper. 

"Polly  —  Jasper  —  where  are  you?"  came  in 
old  Mr.  King's  voice. 

"Here,  father,"  and  "Here,  Grandpapa,"  and 
Clare  running  up  the  steps,  the  little  party  was 
soon  in  the  carriage. 

"Promise  me,  Jasper,  do,"  implored  Polly, 
when  Grandpapa  was  explaining  to  Cathie  about 
the  great  actor  they  were  to  see,  and  Clare  was 
listening  to  hear  all  about  it,  too. 

"Oh,  I  won't,"  promised  Jasper,  "if  you  don't 
wish  me  to." 

"I  really  wouldn't  have  you  for  all  the  world," 
declared  Polly;  and  now  that  this  fear  was  off 
from  her  mind,  she  began  to  pick  up  her  old, 
bright  spirits,  so  that  by  the  time  the  carriage 
stopped  at  the  theatre,  Polly  was  herself  again. 


AT    THE    PLAY  361 

Jasper  watched  her  keenly,  and  drew  a  long 
breath  when  he  saw  her  talking  and  laughing 
with  Grandpapa. 

"You  are  going  to  sit  next  to  me,  Polly,"  said 
the  old  gentleman,  marshalling  his  forces  when 
well  within.  "And  Jasper  next.  Then,  Cathie, 
you  will  have  a  knight  on  either  side." 

"Oh,  I  can't  sit  between  two  boys,"  cried 
Cathie,  forgetting  herself  in  her  terror. 

"I  won't  bite  you,"  cried  Clare  saucily. 

"I  will  see  that  Clare  behaves  himself,"  said 
Jasper. 

"You'll  do  nicely,  my  dear,"  said  Mr.  King 
encouragingly  to  her;  then  proceeded  down  the 
aisle  after  the  usher.  So  there  was  nothing  to 
do  but  to  obey.  And  Cathie,  who  would  have 
found  it  a  formidable  thing  to  be  stranded  on 
the  companionship  of  one  boy,  found  herself  be 
tween  two,  and  Polly  Pepper  far  off,  and  not  the 
least  able  to  help. 

"Now,  then,"  said  Jasper,  taking  up  the  pro 
gram,  "I  suppose  father  told  you  pretty  much 
all  that  was  necessary  to  know  about  Irving. 
Well  — "  And  then,  without  waiting  for  a  reply, 
Jasper  dashed  on  about  the  splendid  plays  in 
which  he  had  seen  this  wonderful  actor,  and  the 


362     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

particular  one  they  were  to  enjoy  to-night;  and 
from  that  he  drifted  off  to  the  fine  points  to  be 
admired  in  the  big  playhouse,  with  its  striking 
decorations,  making  Cathie  raise  her  eyes  to 
take  it  all  in,  until  Clare  leaned  over  to  say: 

"I  should  think  you  might  give  Cathie  and  me 
a  chance  to  talk  a  little,  Jasper." 

"Oh,  I  don't  want  to  talk,"  cried  Cathie  in 
terror.  "I  don't  know  anything  to  say." 

"Well,  I  do,"  said  Clare,  in  a  dudgeon,  "only 
Jasper  goes  on  in  such  a  streak  to-night." 

"I  believe  I  have  been  talking  you  both  blue," 
said  Jasper,  with  a  laugh. 

"You  certainly  have,"  said  Clare,  laughing 
too. 

And  then  Cathie  laughed,  and  Polly  Pepper, 
looking  over,  beamed  at  her,  for  she  had  begun 
to  be  worried. 

"The  best  thing  in  the  world,"  said  old  Mr. 
King,  "was  to  turn  her  over  to  those  two  boys. 
Now,  don't  give  her  another  thought,  Polly;  she'll 
get  on." 

And  she  did;  so  well,  that  before  long,  she  and 
Clare  were  chatting  away  merrily;  and  Cathie 
felt  it  was  by  no  means  such  a  very  terrible 
experience  to  be  sitting  between  two  boys  at  a 


AT    THE    PLAY  363 

play;  and  by  the  time  the  evening  was  half  over, 
she  was  sure  that  she  liked  it  very  much. 

And  Polly  beamed  at  her  more  than  ever,  and 
Jasper  felt  quite  sure  that  he  had  never  enjoyed 
an  evening  more  than  the  one  at  present  flying 
by  so  fast.  And  old  Mr.  King,  so  handsome  and 
stately,  showed  such  evident  pride  in  his  young 
charges,  as  he  smiled  and  chatted,  that  more 
than  one  old  friend  in  the  audience  commented 
on  it. 

"Did  you  ever  see  such  a  change  in  any  one?" 
asked  a  dowager,  levelling  her  keen  glances  from 
her  box  down  upon  the  merry  party. 

"Never;  it  was  the  one  thing  needed  to  make 
him  quite  perfect,"  said  another  one  of  that  set. 
"He  is  approachable  now  —  absolutely  fascinat 
ing,  so  genial  and  courteous." 

"His  manners  were  perfect  before,"  said  a 
third  member  of  the  box  party,  "except  they 
needed  thawing  out  —  a  bit  too  icy." 

"You  are  too  mild.  I  should  say  they  were 
quite  frozen.  He  never  seemed  to  me  to  have 
any  heart." 

"Well,  it's  proved  he  has,"  observed  her  hus 
band.  "I  tell  you  that  little  Pepper  girl  is  going 
to  make  a  sensation  when  she  comes  out,"  lean- 


364     FIVE    LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

ing  over  for  a  better  view  of  the  King  party,  "and 
the  best  of  it  is  that  she  doesn't  know  it  her 
self." 

And  Clare  made  up  his  mind  that  Cathie  Har 
rison  was  an  awfully  nice  girl;  and  he  was  real 
glad  she  had  moved  to  town  and  joined  the 
Salisbury  School.  And  as  he  had  two  cousins 
there,  they  soon  waked  up  a  conversation  over 
them. 

"Only  I  don't  know  them  much,"  said  Cathie. 
"You  see  I  haven't  been  at  the  school  long,  and 
besides,  the  girls  didn't  have  much  to  say  to  me 
till  Polly  Pepper  said  nice  things  to  me,  and  then 
she  asked  me  to  go  to  the  bee." 

"That  old  sewing  thing  where  they  make 
clothes  for  the  poor  little  darkeys  down  South?" 
asked  Clare. 

"Yes;  and  it's  just  lovely,"  said  Cathie,  "and 
I  never  supposed  I'd  be  asked.  And  Polly  Pepper 
came  down  to  my  desk  one  day,  and  invited  me 
to  come  to  the  next  meeting,  and  I  was  so  scared, 
I  couldn't  say  anything  at  first;  and  then  Polly 
got  me  into  the  Salisbury  Club." 

"Oh,  yes,  I  know."  Clare  nodded,  and  wished 
he  could  forget  how  he  had  asked  one  of  the 
other  boys  on  that  evening  when  the  two  clubs 


AT    THE   PLAY  365 

united,  why  in  the  world  the  Salisbury  Club 
elected  Cathie  Harrison  into  its  membership. 

"And  then  Polly  Pepper's  mother  invited  me 

to  visit  her  —  Polly,  I  mean  —  and  so  here  I  am" 

—  she  forgot  she  was  talking  to  a  dreaded  boy, 

and  turned  her  happy  face  toward  him  —  "and 

it's  just  lovely.     I  never  visited  a  girl  before." 

"Never  visited  a  girl  before!"  repeated  Clare, 
in  astonishment. 

"No,"  said  Cathie.  "You  see,  my  father  was 
a  minister,  and  we  lived  in  the  country,  and 
when  I  visited  anybody,  which  was  only  two 
or  three  times  in  my  life,  it  was  to  papa's  old 
aunts." 

"Oh  dear  me!"  exclaimed  Clare  faintly,  quite 
gone  in  pity. 

"And  so  your  father  moved  to  town,"  he  said; 
and  then  he  knew  that  he  had  made  a  terrible 
mistake. 

:'Now  she  won't  speak  a  word  —  perhaps 
burst  out  crying,"  he  groaned  within  himself,  as 
he  saw  her  face.  But  Cathie  sat  quite  still. 

"My  papa  died,"  she  said  softly,  "and  he 
told  mamma  before  he  went,  to  take  me  to  town 
and  have  me  educated.  And  one  of  those  old 
aunts  gave  the  money.  And  if  it  hadn't  been 


366     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

for  him,  I'd  have  run  home  from  the  Salis 
bury  School  that  first  week,  it  was  so  perfectly 
awful." 

Clare  sat  quite  still.  Then  he  burst  out, 
"Well,  now,  Cathie,  I  think  it  was  just  splendid 
in  you  to  stick  on." 

"Do  you?"  she  cried,  quite  astonished  to  think 
any  one  would  think  she  was  "just  splendid"  in 
anything.  "Why,  the  girls  call  me  a  goose  over 
and  over.  And  sometimes  I  lose  my  temper,  be 
cause  they  don't  say  it  in  fun,  but  they  really 
mean  it." 

"Weil,  they  needn't,"  said  Clare  indignantly, 
"because  I  don't  think  you  are  a  goose  at  all." 

"Those  two  are  getting  on  quite  well,"  said 
Jasper  to  Polly.  "I  don't  think  we  need  to 
worry  about  Cathie  any  more." 

"And  isn't  she  nice?"  asked  Polly,  in  great 
delight. 

"Yes,  I  think  she  is,  Polly,"  said  Jasper,  in  a 
way  that  gave  Polly  great  satisfaction. 

But  when  this  delightful  evening  was  all  over, 
and  the  good  nights  had  been  said,  and  Mother 
Fisher,  as  was  her  wont,  had  come  into  Polly's 
room  to  help  her  take  off  her  things,  and  to  say  a 
few  words  to  Cathie  too,  Polly  began  to  remera- 


AT    THE    PLAY  367 

ber  the  scene  in  Mrs.  Chatterton's  room;  and  a 
sorry  little  feeling  crept  into  her  heart. 

And  when  Mamsie  had  gone  out  and  every 
thing  was  quiet,  Polly  buried  her  face  in  her 
pillow,  and  tried  not  to  cry.  "I  don't  believe 
she  will  ever  forgive  me,  or  let  me  help  her  again." 

"Polly,"  called  Cathie  softly  from  the  next 
room,  "I  did  have  the  most  beautiful  time!" 

"Did  you?"  cried  Polly,  choking  back  her 
sobs.  "Oh,  I  am  so  glad,  Cathie!" 

"Yes,"  said  Cathie,  "I  did,  Polly,  and  I'm 
not  afraid  of  boys  now;  I  think  they  are  real 
nice." 

"Aren't  they!"  cried  Polly,  "and  weren't  our 
seats  fine!  Grandpapa  didn't  want  a  box  to 
night,  because  we  could  see  the  play  so  much 
better  from  the  floor.  But  we  ought  to  go  to 
sleep,  Cathie,  for  Mamsie  wouldn't  like  us  to 
talk.  Good  night." 

"Good  night,"  said  Cathie.  "A  box!"  she  said 
to  herself,  as  she  turned  on  her  pillow,  "oh,  I 
should  have  died  to  have  sat  up  in  one  of  those. 
It  was  quite  magnificent  enough  where  I  was." 


XXII     PICKERING    DODGE 


'JASPER!" 

J  Jasper,  rushing  down  the  long  hall  of  the 
Pemberton  School,  books  in  hand,  turned  to  see 
Mr.  Faber  standing  in  the  doorway  of  his  private 
room. 

"I  want  to  see  you,  Jasper." 

Jasper,  with  an  awful  feeling  at  his  heart, 
obeyed  and  went  in.  "It's  all  up  with  Pick,"  he 
groaned,  and  sat  down  in  the  place  indicated  on 
the  other  side  of  the  big  round  table,  Mr.  Faber 
in  his  accustomed  seat,  the  big  leather  chair. 

"You  remember  the  conversation  I  had  with 
you,  Jasper,"  he  said  slowly;  and  picking  up  a 
paper  knife  he  began  playing  with  it,  occasion 
ally  glancing  up  over  his  glasses  at  the  boy. 

Jasper  nodded,  unable  to  find  any  voice.  Then 
he  managed  to  say,  "Yes,  sir." 

"Well,  now,  Jasper,  it  was  rather  an  unusual 
thing  to  do,  to  set  one  lad,  as  it  were,  to  work 
upon  another  in  just  that  way.     For  I  am  sure 
368 


PICKERING    DODGE  369 

I  haven't  forgotten  my  boyhood,  long  past  as  it 
is,  and  I  realize  that  the  responsibilities  of  school 
life  are  heavy  enough,  without  adding  to  the 
burden." 

Mr.  Faber,  well  pleased  with  this  sentiment, 
waited  to  clear  his  throat.  Jasper,  in  an  agony, 
as  he  saw  Pickering  Dodge  expelled,  and  all  the 
dreadful  consequences,  sat  quite  still. 

"At  the  same  time,  although  I  disliked  to  take 
you  into  confidence,  making  you  an  assistant  in 
the  work  of  reclaiming  Pickering  Dodge  from 
his  idle,  aimless  state,  in  which  he  exhibited  such 
a  total  disregard  for  his  lessons,  it  appeared  after 
due  consideration  to  be  the  only  thing  left  to  be 
done.  You  understand  this,  I  trust,  Jasper." 

Jasper's  reply  this  time  was  so  low  as  to  be 
scarcely  audible.  But  Mr.  Faber,  taking  it  for 
granted,  manipulated  the  paper  knife  a  few  times, 
and  went  on  impressively. 

"I  am  very  glad  you  do,  Jasper.  I  felt  sure, 
knowing  you  so  well,  that  my  reasons  would  ap 
peal  to  you  in  the  right  way.  You  are  Picker 
ing's  best  friend  among  my  scholars." 

"And  he  is  mine,"  exploded  Jasper,  thinking 
wildly  that  it  was  perhaps  not  quite  too  late  to 
save  Pickering.  "I've  known  him  always,  sir." 


370     FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

He  was  quite  to  the  edge  of  his  chair  now,  his 
dark  eyes  shining,  and  his  hair  tossed  back. 
"Beg  pardon,  Mr.  Faber,  but  I  can't  help  it. 
Pickering  is  so  fine;  he's  not  like  other  boys." 

"No,  I  believe  you."  Mr.  Faber  smiled  grimly 
and  gave  the  paper  knife  another  whirl.  And 
much  as  Jasper  liked  him,  that  smile  seemed 
wholly  unnecessary,  and  to  deal  death  to  his 
hopes. 

"He  certainly  is  unlike  any  other  boy  in  my 
school  in  regard  to  his  studying,"  he  said.  "His 
capacity  is  not  wanting,  to  be  sure;  there  was 
never  any  lack  of  that.  For  that  reason  I  was 
always  hoping  to  arouse  his  ambition." 

"And  you  can  —  oh,  you  can,  sir!  "  cried  Jas 
per  eagerly,  although  he  felt  every  word  he  said 
to  be  unwelcome,  "if  you  will  only  try  him  a  bit 
longer.  Don't  send  him  off  yet,  Mr.  Faber." 

He  got  off  from  his  chair,  and  leaned  on  the 
table  heavily. 

"Don't  send  him  off?"  repeated  Mr.  Faber, 
dropping  the  paper  knife,  "what  is  the  boy  talk 
ing  of!  Why,  Jasper  —  I've  called  you  in  here 
to  tell  you  how  much  Pickering  has  improved 
and—" 

Jasper  collapsed    on  his  chair.      "And    is    it 


PICKERING   DODGE  37 1 

possible  that  you  haven't  seen  it  for  yourself, 
Jasper?"  exclaimed  Mr.  Faber.  "Why,  every 
teacher  is  quite  delighted.  Even  Mr.  Dinsmore  -- 
and  he  was  in  favor  of  at  least  suspending  Pick 
ering  last  half  —  has  expressed  his  opinion  that  I 
did  well  to  give  the  boy  another  trial." 

"I  thought—"  mumbled  Jasper,  "I  was 
afraid. "  Then  he  pulled  himself  together,  and 
somehow  found  himself  standing  over  by  Mr. 
Faber's  chair,  unbosoming  himself  of  his  fright 
and  corresponding  joy. 

"Pull  your  chair  up  nearer,  Jasper,"  said  Mr. 
Faber,  when,  the  first  transport  having  worked 
off,  Jasper  seemed  better  fitted  for  conversation, 
"and  we  will  go  over  this  in  a  more  intelligent 
fashion.  I  am  really  more  pleased  than  I  can 
express  at  the  improvement  in  that  boy.  As  I 
said  before"  —  Mr.  Faber  had  long  ago  thrown 
aside  the  paper  knife,  and  now  turned  toward 
Jasper,  his  whole  attention  on  the  matter  in 
hand —  " Pickering  has  a  fine  capacity;  take 
it  all  in  all,  perhaps  there  is  none  better  in 
the  whole  school.  It  shows  to  great  advantage 
now,  because  he  has  regained  his  place  so  rap 
idly  in  his  classes.  It  is  quite  astonishing,  Jas 
per."  And  he  took  off  his  glasses  and  polished 


372     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

them  up  carefully,  repeating  several  times  during 
the  process,  "Yes,  very  surprising  indeed!" 

"And  he  seems  to  like  to  study  now,"  said 
Jasper,  ready  to  bring  forward  all  the  nice  things 
that  warranted  encouragement. 

"Does  he  so?"  Mr.  Faber  set  his  glasses  on 
his  nose,  and  beamed  at  him  over  them.  The 
boys  at  the  Pemberton  School  always  protested 
that  this  was  the  only  use  they  could  be  put 
to  on  the  master's  countenance.  "Well,  now, 
Jasper,  I  really  believe  I  am  justified  in  enter 
taining  a  very  strong  hope  of  Pickering's  future 
career.  And  I  see  no  reason  why  he  should  not 
be  ready  for  college  with  you,  and  without  con 
ditions,  if  he  will  only  keep  his  ambition  alive 
and  active,  now  it  is  aroused." 

"May  I  tell  him  so?"  cried  Jasper,  almost 
beside  himself  with  joy.  "  Oh,  may  I,  Mr.  Faber  ?  " 

"Why,  that  is  what  I  called  you  in  here  for, 
Jasper,"  said  the  master.  "It  seemed  so  very 
much  better  for  him  to  hear  it  from  a  boy,  for 
I  remember  my  own  boyhood,  though  so  very 
long  since;  and  the  effect  will,  I  feel  sure,  be 
much  deeper  than  if  Pickering  hears  it  from  me. 
He  is  very  tired  of  this  study,  Jasper,"  and  Mr. 
Faber  glanced  around  at  the  four  walls,  and 


PICKERING    DODGE  373 

again  came  that  grim  smile.  "And  even  to  hear 
a  word  of  commendation,  it  might  not  be  so 
pleasing  to  be  called  in.  So  away  with  you.  At 
the  proper  time,  I  shall  speak  to  him  myself." 

jasper,  needing  no  second  bidding,  fled  pre 
cipitately  —  dashed  in  again.  "  Beg  pardon,  I'd 
forgotten  my  books."  He  seized  them  from  the 
table,  and  made  quick  time  tracking  Pickering. 

"Where  is  Pick?"  rushing  up  to  a  knot  of 
boys  on  a  corner  of  the  playground,  just  sepa 
rating  to  go  home. 

" Don't  know;  what's  up,  King?" 

"Can't  stop,"  said  Jasper,  flying  back  to  the 
schoolroom.  "I  must  get  Pick." 

"Dodge  has  gone,"  shouted  a  boy  clearing  the 
steps,  who  had  heard  the  last  words.  So  Jasper, 
turning  again,  left  school  and  playground  far 
behind,  to  run  up  the  steps  of  the  Cabot  mansion. 

"Pickering  here?" 

"Yes."  The  butler  had  seen  him  hurrying 
over  the  stairs  to  his  own  room  just  five  min 
utes  ago.  And  in  less  than  a  minute  Jasper  was 
up  in  that  same  place. 

There  sat  Pickering  by  his  table,  his  long  legs 
upon  its  surface,  and  his  hands  thrust  into  his 
pockets.  His  books  sprawled  just  where  he 


374     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

had  thrown  them,  at  different  angles   along  the 
floor. 

"Hullo!"  cried  Jasper,  flying  in,  to  slop  aghast 
at  this. 

"Yes,  you  see,  Jasper,  I'm  played  out,"  said 
Pickering.  "It  isn't  any  use  for  me  to  study, 
and  there  are  the  plaguey  things,"  pulling  out 
one  set  of  fingers  to  point  to  the  sprawling  books. 
kkl  can't  catch  up.  Every  teacher  looks  at  me 
squint-eyed  as  if  I  were  a  hopeless  case,  which 
lam!" 

"Oh,  you  big  dunce!"  Jasper  clapped  his 
books  on  the  table  with  a  bang,  making  Pick 
ering  draw  down  his  long  legs,  rushed  around  to 
precipitate  himself  on  the  rest  of  the  figure  in 
the  chair,  when  he  pommelled  him  to  his  heart's 
content. 

"If  you  expect  to  beat  any  hope  into  me,  old 
boy,"  cried  Pickering,  not  caring  in  the  least  for 
the  onslaught,  "you'll  miss  your  guess." 

"I'm  hoping  to  beat  sense  into  you,"  cried 
Jasper,  pounding  away,  "though  it  looks  almost 
impossible  now,"  he  declared,  laughing.  "Pick, 
you've  won!  Mr.  Faber  says  you've  come  up  in 
classes  splendidly,  and  - 

Pickering  sprang  to  his  feet.     "What  do  you 


PICKERING   DODGE  375 

mean,  Jasper?"  he  cried  hoarsely,  his  face  white 
as  a  sheet. 

"Just  what  I  say." 

"Say  it  again." 

So  Jasper  went  all  over  it  once  more,  adding 
the  other  things  about  getting  into  college  and 
all  that,  as  much  as  Pickering  would  hear. 

"Honest?"  he  broke  in,  his  pale  face  getting 
a  dull  red,  and  seizing  Jasper  by  the  shoulders. 

"Did  I  ever  tell  you  anything  that  wasn't  so, 
Pick?" 

"No;  but  I  can't  believe  it,  Jap.  It's  the  first 
time  in  my  life  I've  —  I've-  And  what  in 
cessant  blame  could  not  do,  praise  achieved. 
Pickering  rushed  to  the  bed,  flung  himself  face 
down  upon  it,  and  broke  into  a  torrent  of  sobs. 

Jasper,  who  had  never  seen  Pickering  cry,  had 
wild  thoughts  of  rushing  for  Mrs.  Cabot;  the 
uncle  was  not  at  home.  But  remembering  how 
little  good  this  could  possibly  do,  ht  bent  all  his 
energies  to  stop  this  unlooked-for  flood. 

But  he  was  helpless.  Having  never  given  way 
in  this  manner  before,  Pickering  seemed  deter 
mined  to  make  a  thorough  job  of  it.  And  it  was 
not  till  he  was  quite  exhausted  that  he  rolled 
over,  wiped  his  eyes,  and  looked  at  Jasper. 


376     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"I'm  through,"  he  announced. 

"I  should  think  you  might  well  be,"  retorted 
Jasper;  "what  with  scaring  me  almost  to  death, 
you've  made  yourself  a  fright,  Pick,  and  you've 
just  upset  all  your  chances  to  study  to-day." 

Pickering  flung  himself  off  the  bed  as  sum 
marily  as  he  had  gone  on. 

"That's  likely,  isn't  it?"  he  cried  mockingly, 
and  shamefacedly  scrabbling  up  the  books  from 
the  floor.  "Now,  then,"  and  he  was  across  the 
room,  pouring  out  a  basinful  of  water,  to  thrust 
his  swollen  face  within  it. 

"Whew!  I  never  knew  it  used  a  chap  up  so 
to  cry,"  he  spluttered.  "Goodness  me!"  He 
withdrew  his  countenance  from  the  towel  to  re 
gard  Jasper. 

"How  you  look!"  cried  Jasper,  considering  it 
better  to  rail  at  him. 

Whereupon  Pickering  found  his  way  to  the 
long  mirror.  "I  never  was  a  beauty,"  he  said. 

"And  now  you  are  less,"  laughed  Jasper. 

"But  I'm  good,"  said  Pickering  solemnly,  and 
flinging  himself  down  to  his  books. 

"You  can't  study  with  such  eyes,"  cried  Jas 
per,  tugging  at  the  book. 

"Clear  out!" 


PICKERING    DODGE  377 

"I'm  not  going.  Pick,  your  eyes  aren't  much 
bigger  than  pins." 

"But  they're  sharp  —  just  as  pins  are.  Leave 
me  alone."  Pickering  squirmed  all  over  his 
chair,  but  Jasper  had  the  book. 

"Never  mind,  I'll  fly  at  my  history,  then,"  said 
Pickering,  possessing  himself  of  another  book; 
"that's  the  beauty  of  it.  I'm  as  backward  in 
all  of  my  lessons  as  I  am  in  one.  I  can  strike 
in  anywhere." 

"You  are  not  backward  in  any  now,"  cried 
Jasper  in  glee,  and  performing  an  Indian  war 
dance  around  the  table.  "Forward  is  the  word 
henceforth,"  he  brought  up  dramatically  with 
another  lunge  at  Pickering. 

"Get  out.     You  better  go  home." 

"I  haven't  the  smallest  intention  of  going," 
replied  Jasper,  and  successfully  coming  off  with 
a  second  book. 

"Here's  for  book  number  three,"  declared 
Pickering  —  but  too  late.  Jasper  seized  the  re 
maining  two,  tossed  them  back  of  him,  then 
squared  off. 

"Come  on  for  a  tussle,  old  fellow.  You're 
not  fit  to  study  —  ruin  your  eyes.  Come  on!" 
his  whole  face  sparkling. 


378     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

It  was  too  much.  The  table  was  pushed  one 
side;  books  and  lessons,  Mr.  Faber  and  college, 
were  as  things  never  heard  of.  And  for  a  good 
quarter  of  an  hour,  Pickering,  whose  hours  of 
exercise  had  been  much  scantier  of  late,  was  hard 
pushed  to  parry  all  Jasper's  attacks.  At  the 
last,  when  the  little  clock  on  the  mantel  struck 
four,  he  came  out  ahead. 

"I  declare,  that  was  a  good  one,"  he  exclaimed 
in  a  glow. 

"  Particularly  so  to  you,"  said  Jasper  ruefully. 
"You  gave  me  a  regular  bear-hug,  you  scamp." 

"Had  to,  to  pay  you  up." 

" And  now  you  may  study,"  cried  Jasper  gaily; 
and  snatching  his  books,  he  ran  off. 

"Oh,  Pick,"  putting  his  head  in  at  the  door. 

"Yes?" 

"If  the  lessons  are  done,  come  over  this  even 
ing,  will  you?" 

"All  right."  The  last  sound  of  Jasper's  feet 
on  the  stairs  reached  Pickering,  when  he  sud 
denly  left  his  chair  and  flew  into  the  hall. 

"Jap  — oh,  I  say,  Jap!"  Then  he  plunged 
back  into  his  room  to  thrust  his  head  out  of  the 
window.  "Jap!"  he  howled,  to  the  consterna 
tion  of  a  fat  old  gentleman  passing  beneath,  who 


PICKERING    DODGE  379 

on  account  of  his  size,  finding  it  somewhat  in 
convenient  to  look  up,  therefore  waddled  into 
the  street,  and  surveyed  the  house  gravely. 

Pickering  slammed  down  the  window,  leaving 
the  old  gentleman  to  stare  as  long  as  he  saw  lit. 

"I  can't  go  over  there  to-night,  looking  like 
this."  He  pranced  up  to  the  mirror  again,  fum 
ing  every  step  of  the  way,  and  surveyed  himself 
in  dismay.  There  was  some  improvement  in  the 
appearance  of  his  countenance,  to  be  sure,  but 
not  by  any  means  enough  to  please  him.  His 
pale  blue  eyes  were  so  small,  and  their  surround 
ings  so  swollen,  that  they  reminded  him  of  noth 
ing  so  much  as  those  of  a  small  pig  he  had  made 
acquaintance  with  in  a  visit  up  in  the  country. 
While  his  nose,  long  and  usually  quite  aristo 
cratic-looking,  had  resigned  all  claims  to  distinc 
tion,  and  was  hopelessly  pudgy. 

"Jasper  knows  I  can't  go  in  this  shape,"  he 
cried  in  a  fury.  "Great  Caesar's  ghost  I  I  never 
supposed  it  banged  a  fellow  up  so,  to  cry  just 
once!"  And  the  next  moments  were  spent  in 
sopping  his  face  violently  with  the  wet  towel, 
which  did  no  good,  as  it  had  been  plentifully 
supplied  with  that  treatment  before. 

At  last  he  flung  himself  into  his  chair.     "If  I 


380     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

don't  go  over,  Jap  will  think  I  haven't  my  les 
sons,  so  that's  all  right.  And  I  won't  have  them 
anyway  if  I  don't  tackle  them  pretty  quick. 
So  here  goes!"  And  presently  the  only  sound  to 
be  heard  was  the  ticking  of  the  little  clock,  varied 
by  the  turning  of  his  pages,  or  the  rattling  of  the 
paper  on  which  he  was  working  out  the  problems 
for  to-morrow. 

"Oh  dear  me!  Jasper,"  Polly  exclaimed  about 
half-past  seven,  "I  don't  believe  Pickering  is 
coming." 

"He  hasn't  his  lessons,  I  suppose,"  said  Jasper. 
"You  know  I  told  him  to  come  over  as  soon  as 
they  were  done.  Well,  Polly,  we  agreed,  you 
know,  to  let  him  alone  as  to  invitations  until  the 
lessons  were  out  of  the  way,  so  I  won't  go  over 
after  him." 

"I  know,"  said  Polly,  "but  oh,  Jasper,  isn't  it 
just  too  elegant  for  anything,  to  think  that  Mr. 
Faber  says  it's  all  right  with  him?" 

"I  should  think  it  was,"  cried  Jasper.  "Now 
if  he  only  keeps  on,  Polly." 

"Oh,  he  must;  he  will,"  declared  Polly  con 
fidently.  "Well,  we  can  put  off  toasting  marsh- 
mallows  until  to-morrow  night." 

About  this  time,  Pickering,  whose  lessons  were 


PICKERING   DODGE  38* 

all  done,  for  he  had,  as  Mr.  Faber  had  said,  "a 
fine  capacity"  to  learn,  was  receiving  company 
just  when  he  thought  he  was  safe  from  showing 
his  face. 

"  Let's  stop  for  Pickering  Dodge,"  proposed 
Alexia,  Clare  having  run  in  for  her  to  go  over 
to  Polly  Pepper's,  "to  toast  marshmallows  and 
have  fun  generally." 

"All  right;  so  we  can,"  cried  Clare.  So  they 
turned  the  corner  and  went  down  to  the  Cabot 
mansion,  and  were  let  in  before  the  old  butler 
could  be  stopped. 

Pickering,  whose  uncle  and  aunt  were  out  for 
the  evening,  had  felt  it  safe  to  throw  himself 
down  on  the  library  sofa.  When  he  saw  that 
John  had  forgotten  what  he  told  him,  not  to  let 
anybody  in,  he  sprang  up;  but  not  before  Alexia, 
rushing  in,  had  cried,  "Oh,  here  you  are!  Come 
on  with  us  to  Polly  Pepper's!"  Clare  dashed  in 
after  her. 

"O\v!"  exclaimed  Pickering,  seizing  a  sofa 
pillow,  to  jam  it  against  his  face. 

"What  is  the  matter?"  cried  Alexia.  "Oh, 
have  you  a  toothache?" 

"Worse  than  that,"  groaned  Pickering  behind 
his  pillow. 


382     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"Oh,  my  goodness  me!"  exclaimed  Alexia, 
tumbling  back.  "What  can  it  be?" 

"You  haven't  broken  your  jaw,  Pick?"  ob 
served  Clare.  "I  can't  imagine  that." 

"I'll  break  yours  if  you  don't  go,"  said  Pick 
ering  savagely,  and  half  smothered,  as  he  tried 
to  keep  the  pillow  well  before  the  two  pairs  of 
eyes. 

This  was  a  little  difficult,  as  Clare,  seeing  hopes 
of  running  around  the  pillow,  set  himself  in  mo 
tion  to  that  end.  But  as  Pickering  whirled  as 
fast  as  he  did,  there  was  no  great  gain. 

"Well,  if  I  ever  did!"  exclaimed  Alexia,  quite 
aghast. 

And  the  next  moment  Pickering,  keeping  a 
little  opening  at  one  end  of  the  pillow,  saw  his 
chance;  darted  out  of  the  door,  and  flinging 
the  pillow  the  length  of  the  hall,  raced  into  his 
own  room  and  slammed  the  door,  and  they 
could  hear  him  lock  it. 

"Well,  if  I  ever  did!"  exclaimed  Alexia  again, 
and  sinking  into  the  first  chair,  she  raised  both 
hands. 

"What's  got  into  the  beggar?"  cried  Clare  in 
perplexity,  and  looking  out  into  the  hall,  as  if 
some  help  to  the  puzzle  might  be  found  there. 


PICKERING   DODGE  383 

"Well,  I  guess  you  and  I,  Alcxia,  might  as 
well  go  to  Polly  Pepper's,"  he  said  iinall^ . 

"And  if  I  ever  come  after  that  boy  again  to 
tell  him  of  anything  nice  that's  going  to  happen, 
I  miss  my  guess,"  declared  Alexia,  getting  her 
self  out  of  her  chair,  in  high  dudgeon.  "Let's 
send  Jasper  after  him;  he's  the  only  one  who 
can  manage  him,"  she  cried,  as  they  set  forth. 

"Good  idea,"  said  Clare. 

But  when  Alexia  told  of  their  funny  reception, 
Jasper  first  stared,  then  burst  out  laughing.  And 
although  Alexia  teased  and  teased,  she  got  no 
satisfaction. 

"It's  no  use,  Alexia,"  Jasper  said,  wiping  his 
eyes,  "you  won't  get  me  to  tell.  So  let's  set 
about  having  some  fun.  What  shall  we  do?" 

"I  don't  want  to  do  anything,"  pouted  Alexia, 
"only  to  know  what  m-rJe  Pickering  Dodge  act 
in  that  funny  way." 

"And  that's  just  what  you  won't  know,  Alexia," 
replied  Jasper  composedly.  "Well,  Polly,  you 
are  going  to  put  off  toasting  the  marshmallows, 
aren't  you,  till  to-morrow  night,  when  Pick  can 
probably  come?" 

"Oh,  I  wouldn't  wait  for  him,"  Alexia  burst 
out,  quite  exasperated,  "when  he's  acted  so. 


384     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

And  perhaps  he'd  come  with  an  old  sofa  pillow 
before  his  face,  if  you  did." 

"Oh,  no,  he  won't,  Alexia,"  said  Jasper,  going 
off  into  another  laugh.  But  although  she  teased 
again,  she  got  no  nearer  to  the  facts.  And  Polly 
proposing  that  they  make  candy,  the  chafing 
dish  was  gotten  out;  and  Alexia,  who  was  quite 
an  adept  in  the  art,  went  to  work,  Jasper  crack 
ing  the  nuts,  and  Polly  and  Clare  picking  out 
the  meats. 

And  then  all  the  story  of  Pickering's  splendid 
advance  in  the  tough  work  of  making  up  his 
lessons  came  out,  Jasper  pausing  so  long  to 
dilate  with  kindling  eyes  upon  it,  that  very  few 
nuts  fell  into  the  dish.  So  Polly's  fingers  were 
the  only  ones  to  achieve  much,  as  Clare  gave  so 
close  attention  to  the  story  that  he  was  a  very 
poor  helper. 

In  the  midst  of  it,  Alexia  threw  down  the 
chafing-dish  spoon,  and  clapped  her  hands. 
"Oh,  I  know!"  she  exclaimed. 

"Oh,"  cried  Polly,  looking  up  from  the  little 
pile  of  nut-meats,  "how  you  scared  me,  Alexia!" 

"I  know  —  I  know!"  exclaimed  Alexia  again, 
and  nodding  to  herself  wisely. 

Jasper  threw  her  a  quick  glance.     It  said,  "If 


PICKERING    DODGE  385 

you  know,  don't  tell,  Alcxia."  And  she  flashed 
back,  ''Did  you  suppose  1  would?" 

"What  do  you  know?"  demanded  Clare, 
transferring  his  attention  from  Jasper  to  her. 
"  Tell  on,  Alexia;  what  do  you  know?" 

"Oh,  my  goodness  me!  this  candy  never  will 
be  done  in  time  for  those  meats,"  cried  Alexia, 
picking  up  the  spoon  to  stir  away  for  dear  life. 
And  Jasper  dashed  in  on  what  Mr.  Faber  said 
about  Pickering's  chances  for  college;  a  state 
ment  that  completely  carried  Clare  off  his  feet, 
so  to  speak. 

"You  don't  mean  that  he  thinks  Pick  will  get 
in  without  conditions?"  gasped  Clare,  dum- 
founded. 

"Yes,  I  do."  Jasper  nodded  brightly.  "If  Pick 
will  only  study;  keep  it  up,  you  know,  I  mean 
to  the  end.  He  surely  said  it,  Clare." 

It  was  so  much  for  Clare  to  think  of,  that  he 
didn't  have  any  words  at  his  command. 

"Now  isn't  that  perfectly  splendid  in  Picker 
ing!"  cried  Alexia,  making  the  spoon  fly  merrily. 
"Oh  dear  me!  I  forgot  to  put  in  the  butter. 
Where  —  oh,  here  it  is,"  and  she  tossed  in  a 
big  piece.  "To  think  that  —  oh  dear  me,  I 
forgot!  I  did  put  the  butter  in  before.  Now 


386     FIVE    LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

I've  spoilt  it,"  and  she  threw  down  the  spoon  in 
despair. 

"Fish  it  out,"  cried  Polly,  hopping  up  and 
seizing  the  spoon  to  make  little  dabs  at  the  ball 
of  butter  now  rapidly  lessening. 

"But  it's  melted  —  that  is,  almost  —  oh  dear 
me!"  cried  Alexia. 

"No,  it  isn't;  there,  see  how  big  it  is."  Polly 
landed  it  deftly  on  the  plate  and  hopped  back  to 
her  nut-meats  again. 

"And  I  should  think  you'd  better  shake  your 
self,  Clare,"  said  Jasper,  over  at  him.  "We 
shouldn't  have  any  m  .s  in  this  candy  if  it  de 
pended  on  you." 

"You  do  tell  such  astounding  stories,"  cried 
Clare,  setting  to  work  at  once.  And  Jasper 
making  as  much  noise  as  he  could  while  crack 
ing  his  nuts,  Alexia's  secret  was  safe. 

But  when  the  candy  was  set  out  to  cool,  and 
there  was  a  pause  in  which  the  two  boys  were 
occupied  by  themselves,  Alexia  pulled  Polly  off 
to  a  corner. 

"Where  are  they  going?"  asked  Clare,  with 
one  eye  after  them. 

"Oh,  they  have  something  to  talk  over,  I  pre 
sume,"  said  Jasper  carelessly. 


PICKERING    DODGE  387 

" Nonsense!  they've  all  the  time  every  day. 
Let's  go  over  and  see." 

"Oh,  no,"  said  Jasper.  "Come  on,  Clare,  and 
let's  see  if  the  candy  is  cool."  But  Clare  didn't 
want  to  see  if  the  candy  was  cool,  nor  anything 
else  but  to  have  his  own  way.  So  he  proceeded 
over  to  the  corner  by  himself. 

"Oho!  You  go  right  away!"  cried  Alexia, 
poking  up  her  head  over  Polly's  shoulder.  "You 
dreadful  boy!  Now,  Polly,  come."  And  she 
pulled  her  off  into  the  library. 

"You  see  you  didn't  get  anything  for  your 
pains,"  said  Jasper,  bursting  into  a  laugh.  "  You'd 
much  better  have  staid  here." 

"Well,  I  don't  want  to  know,  anyway,"  said 
Clare,  taking  a  sudden  interest  in  the  candy. 
"I  believe  it  is  cold,  Jasper;  let's  look." 

"Polly,"  Alexia  was  saying  in  the  library  be 
hind  the  portieres,  "I  know  now;  because  I 
did  it  once  myself:  it  was  when  you  first  prom 
ised  you'd  be  a  friend  to  me,  and  I  went  home, 
and  cried  for  very  joy.  And  I  didn't  want  to 
see  anybody  that  night." 

"Oh,  Alexia!"  exclaimed  Polly,  giving  her  a 
hug  that  satisfied  even  Alexia. 

"No,  I  didn't;  and  I  remember  how  I  wanted 


388     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

to  hold  something  up  to  my  face.  I  never  thought 
of  a  sofa  pillow,  and  I  couldn't  have  gotten  it  if  I 
had  thought,  'cause  aunt  had  it  crammed  against 
her  back.  Oh,  my  eyes  were  a  sight,  Polly,  and 
my  nose  was  all  over  my  face." 


XXIII    THE  CLEMCY   GARDEN  PARTY 

YOU  may  go  on  those  errands,  Hortense, 
but    first    send    Polly    Pepper   to   me," 
commanded  Mrs.  Chatterton  sharply. 

The  French  maid  paused  in  the  act  of  hanging 
up  a  gown.  "I  will  re-quest  her,  Madame.  I 
should  not  like  to  send  Mees  Polly  Peppaire." 

"Miss  Polly  Pepper!"  Mrs.  Chatterton  was 
guilty  of  stamping  her  foot.  "Are  you  mad?  I 
am  speaking  of  Polly  Pepper,  this  country  girl, 
who  is  as  poor  and  low-born  here  in  this  house, 
as  if  in  her  little  brown  house,  wherever  that 
may  be." 

Hortense  shrugged  her  shoulders,  and  hung  up 
the  gown. 

"  Has  Madame  any  further  commands  for  me  ?  " 
she  asked,  coming  up  to  her  mistress. 

"Yes;  be  sure  to  get  the  velvet  at  Lemaire's, 
and  take  back  the  silk  kimono.  I  will  send  to 
New  York  for  one." 

"Yes,  Madame." 

389 


390    FIVE    LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"That  is  all  —  besides  the  other  errands.  Now 
go."  She  dismissed  her  with  a  wave  of  her 
shapely  hand.  "But  first,  as  I  bade  you,  send 
Polly  Pepper  to  me." 

Hortense,  with  another  elevation  of  her  shoul 
ders,  said  nothing,  till  she  found  herself  the  other 
side  of  the  door.  Then  she  shook  her  fist  at  it. 

"It  ees  not  Miss  Polly  who  will  be  sent  for; 
it  ees  Madame  who  will  be  sent  out  of  dees 
house,  fai  peur  —  ha,  ha,  ha!" 

She  laughed  softly  to  herself  all  the  way  down 
stairs,  with  an  insolent  little  fling  to  her  head, 
that  boded  ill  for  her  mistress's  interests. 

Meanwhile,  Mrs.  Chatterton  was  angrily  pacing 
up  and  down  the  room.  "What  arrant  non 
sense  a  man  can  be  capable  of  when  he  is  head 
strong  to  begin  with!  To  think  of  the  elegant 
Horatio  King,  a  model  for  all  men,  surrounding 
himself  with  this  commonplace  family.  Faugh! 
It  is  easy  enough  to  see  what  they  are  all  after. 
But  I  shall  prevent  it.  Meanwhile,  the  only  way 
to  do  it  is  to  break  the  spirit  of  this  Polly  Pep 
per.  Once  do  that,  and  I  have  the  task  easy  to 
my  hand." 

She  listened  intently.  "It  can't  be  possible 
she  would  refuse  to  come.  Ha!  I  thought  so." 


THE  CLEMCY  GARDEN  PARTY       391 

Polly  came  quietly  in.  No  one  to  see  her  face 
would  have  supposed  that  she  had  thrown  aside 
the  book  she  had  been  waiting  weeks  to  read,  so 
that  lessons  and  music  need  not  suffer.  For  she 
was  really  glad  when  Mrs.  Chatterton's  French 
maid  asked  her  respectfully  if  she  would  please 
be  so  good  as  to  step  up  to  her  mistress's  apart 
ments,  "s'il  vous  plait,  Mees  Polly." 

"Yes,  indeed,"  cried  Polly,  springing  off  from 
the  window-seat,  and  forgetting  the  enchanted 
story-land  immediately  in  the  rush  of  delight. 
"  Oh,  I  have  another  chance  to  try  to  please  her," 
she  thought,  skimming  over  the  stairs.  But  she 
was  careful  to  restrain  her  steps  on  reaching  the 
room. 

"You  may  take  that  paper,"  said  Mrs.  Chat- 
terton,  seating  herself  in  her  favorite  chair,  "and 
read  to  me.  You  know  the  things  I  desire  to 
hear,  or  ought  to."  She  pointed  to  the  society 
news,  Town  Talk,  lying  on  the  table. 

Polly  took  it  up,  glad  to  be  of  the  least  service, 
and  whirled  it  over  to  get  the  fashion  items,  feel 
ing  sure  that  now  she  was  on  the  right  road  to 
favor. 

"Don't  rattle  it,"  cried  Mrs.  Chatterton,  in  a 
thin,  high  voice. 


392     FIVE    LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"I'll  try  not  to,"  said  Polly,  wishing  she  could 
be  deft-handed  like  Mamsie,  and  doing  her  best 
to  get  to  the  inner  page  quietly. 

"And  why  don't  you  read  where  you  are?" 
cried  Mrs.  Chatterton.  "Begin  on  the  first  page. 
I  wish  to  hear  that  first." 

Polly  turned  the  sheet  back  again,  and  obeyed. 
But  she  hadn't  read  more  than  a  paragraph 
when  she  came  to  a  dead  stop. 

"Go  on,"  commanded  Mrs.  Chatterton,  her 
eyes  sparkling.  She  had  forgotten  to  play  with 
her  rings,  being  perfectly  absorbed  in  the  de 
licious  morsels  of  exceedingly  unsavory  gossip 
she  was  hearing. 

Polly  laid  the  paper  in  her  lap,  and  her  two 
hands  fell  upon  it.  "Oh,  Mrs.  Chatterton,"  she 
cried,  the  color  flying  from  her  cheek,  "please 
let  me  read  something  else  to  you.  Mamsie 
wouldn't  like  me  to  read  this."  The  brown  eyes 
filled  with  tears,  and  she  leaned  forward  implor 
ingly. 

"Stuff  and  nonsense!"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Chat 
terton  passionately.  "I  command  you  to  read 
that,  girl.  Do  you  hear  me?" 

UI  cannot,"  said  Polly,  in  a  low  voice.  "Mam 
sie  wouldn't  like  it."  But  it  was  perfectly  dis- 


THE  CLEMCY  GARDEN  PARTY      393 

tinct,  and  fell  upon  the  angry  ears  clearly;  and 
storm  as  she  might,  Mrs.  Chatterton  knew  that 
the  little  country  maiden  would  never  bend  to 
her  will  in  this  case. 

"I  would  have  you  to  know  that  I  understand 
much  better  than  your  mother  possibly  can, 
what  is  for  your  good  to  read.  Besides,  she  will 
never  know." 

"Mamsie  knows  every  single  thing  that  we 
children  do,"  cried  Polly  decidedly,  and  lifting 
her  pale  face;  "and  she  understands  better  than 
any  one  else  about  what  we  ought  to  do,  for 
she  is  our  mother." 

"What  arrant  nonsense!"  exclaimed  Mrs. 
Chatterton  passionately,  and  unable  to  control 
herself  at  the  prospect  of  losing  Polly  for  a  reader, 
which  she  couldn't  endure,  as  she  thoroughly  en 
joyed  her  services  in  that  line.  She  got  out  of 
her  chair,  and  paced  up  and  down  the  long  apart 
ment  angrily,  saying  all  sorts  of  most  disagree 
able  things,  that  Polly  only  half  heard,  so  busy 
was  she  debating  in  her  own  mind  what  she 
ought  to  do.  Should  she  run  out  of  the  room, 
and  leave  this  dreadful  old  woman  that  every 
one  in  the  house  was  tired  of?  Surely  she  had 
tried  enough  to  please  her,  but  she  could  not  do 


394    FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

what  Mamsie  would  never  approve  of.  And  just 
as  Polly  had  about  decided  to  slip  out,  she  looked 
up. 

Mrs.  Chatterton,  having  exhausted  her  pas 
sion,  as  it  seemed  to  do  no  good,  was  returning 
to  her  seat,  with  such  a  dreary  step  and  forlorn 
expression  that  she  seemed  ten  years  older.  She 
really  looked  very  feeble,  and  Polly  broke  out 
impulsively,  "Oh,  let  me  read  the  other  part  of 
the  paper,  clear  Mrs.  Chatterton.  May  I?" 

"Read  it,"  said  Mrs.  Chatterton  ungraciously, 
and  sat  down  in  her  favorite  chair. 

Polly,  scarcely  believing  her  ears,  whirled  over 
the  sheet,  and  determined  to  read  as  well  as 
she  possibly  could,  managed  to  throw  so  much 
enthusiasm  into  the  fashion  hints  and  social 
items,  that  presently  Mrs.  Chatterton's  eyes  were 
sparkling  again,  although  she  was  deprived  of 
her  unsavory  morsels. 

And  before  long  she  was  eagerly  telling  Polly 
to  read  over  certain  dictates  of  the  Paris  corre 
spondent,  who  was  laying  down  the  law  for 
feminine  dress,  and  calling  again  for  the  last  in 
formation  of  the  movements  of  members  of  her 
social  set,  till  there  could  be  no  question  of  her 
enjoyment. 


THE  CLEMCY  GARDEN  PARTY       395 

Polly,  not  knowing  or  caring  how  long  she  had 
been  thus  occupied,  so  long  as  Mrs.  Chatterton 
was  happy,  was  only  conscious  that;  Hortense 
came  back  from  the  errands,  which  occasioned 
only  a  brief  pause. 

"Put  the  parcels  clown,"  said  Mrs.  Chatterton, 
scarcely  glancing  at  her,  "I  cannot  attend  to 
you  now7.  Go  on,  Pol"  ." 

So  Polly  went  on,  until  the  fashionable  and 
social  world  had  been  so  thoroughly  canvassed 
that  even  Mrs.  Chatterton  was  quite  convinced 
that  she  could  get  no  more  from  the  paper. 

"You  may  go  now,"  she  said,  but  with  a  hun 
gry  glance  for  the  first  page.  Then  she  tore  her 
gaze  away,  and  repeated  more  coldly  than  ever, 
"You  may  go." 

Polly  ran  off,  dismayed  to  find  how  happy  she 
was  at  the  release.  Her  feet,  unaccustomed  to 
siting  still  so  long,  were  numb,  and  little  prickles 
were  running  up  and  down  her  legs.  She  hur 
ried  as  fast  as  she  could  into  Mamsie's  room,  feel 
ing  in  need  of  all  the  good  cheer  she  could  find. 

"Mrs.  Fisher  has  gone  out,"  said  Jane,  going 
along  the  hall. 

"Gone  out!"  repeated  Polly,  "Oh,  wrnre? 
Do  you  know,  Jane?" 


396    FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"I  don't  exactly  know,"  said  Jane,  "but  she 
took  Miss  Phrcnsie;  and  I  think  it's  shopping 
they  went  for.  Mr.  King  has  taken  them  in  the 
carriage." 

"Oh,  I  know  it  is,"  cried  Polly,  and  a  dread 
ful  feeling  surged  through  her.  Why  had  she 
spent  all  this  time  with  that  horrible  old  woman, 
and  lost  this  precious  tre  ! 

"They  thought  you  had  gone  to  the  Salisbury 
School,"  said  Jane,  wishing  she  could  give  some 
comfort,  "for  they  wanted  you  awfully  to  go." 

"And  now  I've  lost  it  all,"  cried  Polly  at  a 
white  heat  — "all  this  perfectly  splendid  time 
with  Grandpapa  and  Mamsie  and  Phronsie  just 
for  the  sake  of  a  horrible — " 

Then  she  broke  short  off,  and  ran  back  into 
Mamsic's  room,  and  flung  herself  down  by  the 
bed,  just  as  she  used  to  do  by  the  four-poster  in 
the  bedroom  of  the  little  brown  house. 

"Why,  Polly,  child!"  Mother  Fisher's  voice 
was  very  cheery  as  she  came  in,  Phronsie  hurry 
ing  after. 

"I  don't  see  her,"  began  Phronsie  in  a  puzzled 
way,  and  peering  on  all  sides.  "Wrhere  is  she, 
Mamsie?" 

Mrs.  Fisher  went  over  and  laid  her  hand  on 


THE  CLEMCY  GARDEN  PARTY       397 

Polly's  brown  head.  "Now,  Phronsie,  you  may 
run  out,  that  is  a  good  girl."  She  leaned  over, 
and  set  a  kiss  on  Phronsie's  red  lips. 

"Is  Polly  sick?"  asked  Phronsie,  going  off  to 
the  door  obediently,  but  looking  back  with  won 
dering  eyes. 

"No,  dear,  I  think  not,"  said  Mrs.  Fisher. 
"Run  along,  dear." 

"I  am  so  glad  she  isn't  sick,"  said  Phronsie,  as 
she  went  slowly  off.  Yet  she  carried  a  troubled 
face. 

"I  ought  to  go  and  see  how  Sinbad  is,"  she 
decided,  as  she  went  downstairs.  This  visit  was 
an  everyday  performance,  to  be  carefully  gone 
through  with.  So  she  passed  out  of  the  big  side 
doorway,  to  the  veranda. 

"There  is  Michael  now,"  she  cried  joyfully, 
espying  that  individual  raking  up  the  west  lawn. 
So  skipping  off,  she  flew  over  to  him.  This 
caught  the  attention  of  little  Dick  from  the 
nursery  window. 

"Hurry  up  there!"  he  cried  crossly  to  Battles, 
who  was  having  a  hard  time  anyway  getting  him 
into  a  fresh  sailor  suit. 

"Oh,  Dicky  —  Dicky!"  called  mamma  softly 
from  her  room. 


398    FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"I  can't  help  it,  mamma;  Battles  is  slow  and 
poky,"  he  fumed. 

"Oh,  no,  dear,"  said  his  mother;  " Battles  al 
ways  gets  you  ready  very  swiftly,  as  well  as 
nicely." 

Battles,  a  comfortable  person,  turned  her 
round  face  with  a  smile  toward  the  door.  "And 
if  you  was  more  like  your  mamma,  Master  Dick, 
you'd  be  through  with  dressing,  and  make  every 
thing  more  pleasant  to  yourself  and  to  every  one 
else." 

"Well,  I'm  not  in  the  least  like  mamma,  Bat 
tles;  I  can't  be." 

"No,  indeed,  you  ain't.  But  you  can  try,"  said 
Battles  encouragingly. 

"Why,  Battles  Whitney!"  exclaimed  Dick, 
whirling  around  on  her.  In  astonishment,  or 
any  excitement,  Dicky  invariably  gave  her  the 
whole  name  that  he  felt  she  ought  to  possess; 
"Mrs.  Mara  Battles  "  not  being  at  all  within 
his  comprehension.  "What  an  awful  story!" 

"Dicky  —  Dicky!"  reproved  Mrs.  Whitney. 

"Well,  I  can't  help  it,  mamma."  Dick  now 
escaped  from  Battles'  hands  altogether,  and  fled 
into  the  other  room,  the  comfortable  person  fol 
lowing.  "She  said"  —  plunging  up  to  her  chair 


THE  CLEMCY  GARDEN  PARTY      399 

in   great    excitement  —  "that  I    could    be     like 
you." 

"I  said  you  could  try  to  be,"  corrected  Battles, 
smoothing  down  her  apron. 

"And  she  knows  I  can't  ever  be,  in  all  this 
world,"  declared  Dick,  shaking  his  short  curls 
in  decision,  and  glancing  back  to  see  the  effect, 
"for  you're  a  woman,  and  I'm  always  going  to 
be  a  man.  Why,  see  how  big  I  am  now!"  He 
squared  off,  and  strutted  up  and  down  the  little 
boudoir. 

"And  you'd  be  bigger  if  you'd  let  me  fix  your 
blouse  and  button  it  up,"  declared  Battles,  laugh 
ing,  and  bearing  down  on  him  to  fasten  the  band 
and  tuck  in  the  vest.  "And  if  you  w  ;  more 
like  your  mother  in  disposition  —  that's  what  I 
mean  --  'twould  be  a  sight  comfortabler  for  you 
and  every  one  else.  Now,  says  I,  your  hair's  got 
to  be  brushed."  And  she  led  him  back  into  the 
nursery,  laughing  all  the  way. 

"What  makes  you  shake  so  when  you  laugh, 
Battles?"  asked  Dick  suddenly,  and  ignoring  all 
references  to  his  disposition. 

"Can't  help  it,"  said  Battles,  beginning  work 
on  the  curls;  "that's  because  there's  so  much  of 
me,  I  suppose,"  and  she  laughed  more  than  ever. 


400    FIVE    LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"  There's  so  very  much  of  you,  Battles,"  ob 
served  Dick  with  a  critical  look  all  over  her  ro 
tund  figure.  " What  makes  it?" 

"Oh,  I  don't  know,"  said  Battles.  "Stand 
still,  Dicky,  and  I'll  be  through  all  the  sooner. 
Some  folks  is  big  and  round,  and  some  folks  is 
little  and  scrawny." 

"What's  scrawny?"  asked  Dick,  who  always 
got  as  many  alleviations  by  conversation  as  pos 
sible  out  of  the  detested  hair-brushing. 

"Why,  thin  and  lean." 

"Oh,  well,  go  on,  Battles." 

"And  I'm  one  of  the  big  and  round  ones," 
said  Battles,  seeing  no  occasion  in  that  state 
ment  1  abate  her  cheerfulness.  So  she  laughed 
again. 

"I  like  you  big  and  round,  Battles,"  cried  lit 
tle  Dick  affectionately,  and  whirling  about  so 
suddenly  as  to  endanger  his  eye  with  the  comb 
doing  good  execution.  And  he  essayed  to  put 
his  arms  around  her  waist,  which  he  was  always 
hoping  to  be  able  to  accomplish. 

"That's  good,"  said  Battles,  laughing,  well 
pleased.  "But  you  mustn't  jump  around  so. 
There  now,  in  a  minute  you  shall  be  off."  And 
she  took  up  the  brush. 


THE  CLEMCY  GARDEN  PARTY       401 

"I  must,"  declared  Dick,  remembering  his 
sight  of  Phronsic  running  across  the  lawn;  "do 
hurry,  Battles,"  he  pleaded,  which  so  won  her 
heart  that  she  abridged  part  of  the  brushing, 
and  let  him  scamper  off. 

Phronsie  was  kneeling  down  in  front  of  Sin- 
bad's  kennel. 

"Can't  you  untie  him  to-day,  Michael?"  she 
asked,  a  question  she  had  propounded  each 
morning  since  the  boys  went  back  to  school. 

"Yes,  Miss  Phronsie,  I  think  I  can;  he's 
wonted  now,  and  the  other  dogs  are  accustomed 
to  him.  Besides,  I've  locked  up  Jerry  since  he 
fit  him." 

"I  know,"  said  Phronsie  sorrowfully;  "that 
was  naughty  of  Jerry  when  Sinbad  had  only 
just  come." 

Michael  scratched  his  head.  He  couldn't  tell 
her  what  was  on  his  mind,  that  Sinbad  was 
scarcely  such  a  dog  as  any  one  would  buy,  and 
therefore  his  presence  was  not  to  be  relished  by 
the  high-bred  animals  already  at  home  on  the  place. 

"Well,  you  know,  Miss  Phronsie,"  he  said  at 
last,  "it's  kinder  difficult  like,  to  expect  some 
dogs  to  remember  their  manners;  and  Jerry  ain't 
like  all  the  others  in  that  respect." 


402     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"  Please  tell  him  about  it,"  said  Phronsie  ear 
nestly,  "how  good  Prince  is  to  Sinbad,  and  then 
I  guess  he'll  want  to  be  like  him."  For  Phronsie 
had  never  swerved  in  her  allegiance  to  Prince 
ever  since  he  saved  her  from  the  naughty  organ 
man  in  the  little-brown-house  days.  And  in  all 
her  conversations  with  the  other  dogs  she  invari 
ably  held  up  Jasper's  big  black  dog,  his  great 
friend  and  companion  since  pinafore  days,  as 
their  model. 

And  just  then  Dicky  ran  up  breathlessly. 

"Dick,"  announced  Phronsie  excitedly,  "Mi 
chael  is  going  to  let  Sinbad  out  to-day."  And 
she  clasped  her  hands  in  delight. 

"Jolly!"  exclaimed  Dick,  capering  about. 

"Now,  Master  Dick,  you  must  let  the  dog 
alone,"  cried  Michael.  "It's  time  to  try  him 
with  his  freedom  a  bit.  He's  charm'  at  that 
chain."  He  looked  anxiously  at  Dick.  "Stand 
off  there,  both  of  you,"  and  he  slipped  the 
chain  off. 

Sinbad  gave  a  little  wiggle  with  his  hind  legs, 
and  stretched  his  yellow  body.  It  was  too  good 
to  be  true!  But  it  was,  though;  he  was  free,  and 
he  shot  out  from  his  kennel,  which  was  down  in 
the  gardener's  quarters,  and  quite  removed  from 


THE    CLEMCY    GARDEN    PARTY  403 

the  other  dogs,  and  fairly  tore  —  his  ragged  little 
tail  straight  out  —  across  the  west  lawn. 

"Oh,  he'll  run  back  to  Joel  at  school,"  cried 
Dick,  who  had  heard  Joel  say  he  must  be  tied 
at  first  when  everything  was  strange;  and  he 
started  on  a  mad  run  after  him. 

"You  stay  still,"  roared  Michael;  "that  dog 
is  only  stretchin'  his  legs.  He'll  come  back." 
But  as  well  tell  the  north  wind  to  stop  blowing. 
Dicky's  blouse  purled  out  with  the  breeze,  as  his 
small  legs  executed  fine  speed. 

"Oh,  Michael!"  cried  Phronsie  in  the  greatest 
distress,  "make  Dicky  come  back." 

"Oh,  he'll  come  back,"  said  Michael  reas 
suringly,  though  he  quaked  inwardly.  And  so 
Dicky  did.  But  it  was  now  a  matter  of  Sinbad 
chasing  him;  for  as  Michael  had  said,  the  dog, 
after  stretching  his  legs  as  the  mad  rush  across 
the  lawn  enabled  him  to  do,  now  was  very  much 
pleased  to  return  for  a  little  petting  at  the  hands 
of  those  people  who  had  given  him  every  reason 
to  expect  that  he  should  receive  it;  and  suppos 
ing,  from  Dick's  chase  after  him,  that  a  race  was 
agreeable,  he  set  forth;  his  ears,  as  ragged  as  his 
tail,  pricked  up  in  the  fullest  enjoyment  of  the 
occasion. 


4o4    FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

But  Dick  saw  nothing  in  it  to  enjoy.  And  ex 
erting  all  his  strength  to  keep  ahead,  which  he 
couldn't  do  as  well  for  the  reason  that  he  was 
screaming  fearfully,  Sinbad  came  up  with  him 
easily.  Dicky,  turning  his  head  in  mad  terror  at 
that  instant,  stumbled  and  fell.  Sinbad,  unable 
to  stop  at  short  notice,  or  rather  no  notice  at  all, 
rolled  over  with  him  in  a  heap. 

This  brought  all  the  stable-boys  to  the  scene, 
besides  Mrs.  Whitney  who  had  seen  some  of  the 
affair  from  her  window;  and  finally,  when  every 
thing  was  beginning  to  be  calmed  down,  Battles 
reached  the  lawn. 

Sinbad  was  in  Phronsie's  lap,  who  sat  on  the 
grass,  holding  him  tightly. 

"Oh,  Phronsie!"  gasped  Mrs.  Whitney  at  that. 
"Michael,  do  take  him  away,"  ?s  she  fled  by  to 
Dick.  One  of  the  stable-boys  was  brushing  off 
the  grime  from  his  sailor  suit. 

"The  dog  is  all  right,  ma'am,"  said  Michael, 
"'twas  only  play;  I  s'pose  Master  Joel  has 
raced  with  him." 

"Twas  only  play,"  repeated  little  Dick,  who, 
now  that  he  found  himself  whole,  was  surprised 
the  idea  hadn't  occurred  to  him  before.  "Hoh! 
I'm  not  hurt,  and  I'm  going  to  race  with  him 
again. " 


THE  CLEMCY  GARDEN  PARTY       405 

"Not  to-day,  Dicky,"  said  Mrs.  Whitney,  look 
ing  him  all  over  anxiously. 

"He's  all  right,  ma'am,"  declared  Michael; 
"they  just  rolled  over  together,  'cause,  you  see, 
ma'am,  the  dog  couldn't  stop,  he  was  a-goin'  so 
fast,  when  the  youngster  turned  right  in  his  face/' 

And  Dick,  to  prove  his  soundness  of  body  and 
restoration  of  mind,  ran  up  to  Phronsie,  arid 
flung  himself  down  on  the  grass  by  her  side. 

Sinbad  received  him  as  a  most  pleasant  ac 
quaintance,  cocked  up  his  ragged  ears,  and  tried 
to  wag  his  poor  little  scrubby  tail,  never  quite 
getting  it  into  his  head  that  it  wasn't  long  and 
graceful.  And  then  he  set  upon  the  task  of  lick 
ing  Dick's  hands  all  over,  and  as  much  of  his 
face  as  was  possible  to  compass. 

"See  that  now,"  cried  Michael  triumphantly, 
pointing,  "that  dog  mayn't  be  handsome,  but  he 
hain't  got  a  bad  bone  in  his  body,  if  he  docs 
look  like  the  Evil  One  hisself." 

This  episode  absorbing  all  their  attention,  no 
body  heard  or  saw  Alexia  Rhys,  running  lightly 
up  over  the  terrace.  "Oh,  my!  what  are  you 
doing?  And  where's  Polly?"  she  asked  of 
Mrs.  Whitney. 

It  being  soon  told,  Alexia,  who  evidently  had 


406     FIVE    LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

some  exciting  piece  of  news  for  Polly,  ran  into 
the  house. 

"  Polly,"  she  called.  "  Oh,  Polly  Pepper,  where 
are  you?"  running  over  the  stairs  at  the  same 
time. 

But  Polly,  as  we  have  seen,  was  not  in  her 
room. 

"Now  then,"  Mother  Fisher  said  at  sound  of 
Alexia's  voice,  "as  we've  finished  our  talk,  Polly, 
why,  you  must  run  down  and  see  her." 

But  Polly  clung  to  her  mother's  neck.  "Do 
you  think  I  ought  to  go  next  Saturday  morning 
out  shopping,  Mamsie,  after  I've  been  so 
naughty  ? " 

"Indeed,  you  ought,"  cried  Mrs.  Fisher,  in 
her  most  decisive  fashion.  "Dear  me!  that 
would  be  very  dreadful,  Polly,  after  we  put  it 
off  for  you,  when  we  thought  you  had  gone 
down  to  the  Salisbury  School.  Why,  we  couldn't 
get  along  without  you,  Polly." 

So  Polly,  with  a  happy  feeling  at  her  heart 
that  she  was  really  needed  to  make  the  shopping 
trip  a  success,  and  best  of  all  for  the  long  talk 
with  Mamsie,  that  had  set  many  things  right, 
ran  down  to  meet  Alexia,  brimming  over  v/ith 
her  important  news. 


THE  CLEMCY  GARDEN  PARTY 


407 


"Where  have  you  been?"  demanded  Alexia, 
just  on  the  point  of  rushing  out  of  Polly's  room 
in  despair.  "I've  looked  everywhere  for  you, 
even  in  the  shoe-box."  And  without  waiting  for 
a  reply,  she  dragged  Polly  back.  "Oh,  you 
can't  possibly  guess!"  her  pale  eyes  gleaming 
with  excitement. 

"Then  tell  me,  do,  Alexia,"  begged  Polly, 
scarcely  less  wrought  up. 

"  Oh,  Polly,  the  most  elegant  thing  imaginable! " 
Alexia  dearly  loved  to  spin  out  her  exciting  news 
as  long  as  possible,  driving  the  girls  almost  fran 
tic  by  such  methods. 

"Well,  if  you  are  not  going  to  tell  me,  I  might 
as  well  go  back  again,  up  in  Mamsie's  room," 
declared  Polly,  working  herself  free  from  the 
long  arms,  and  starting  for  the  door. 

"Oh,  I'll  tell,  Polly  — I'll  tell,"  cried  Alexia, 
plunging  after.  "Miss  Salisbury  says  —  I've  just 
been  up  to  the  school  after  my  German  grammar 
-  that  Mr.  John  Clemcy  and  Miss  Ophelia  have 
invited  the  whole  Salisbury  School  out  there  for 
next  Saturday  afternoon.  Think  of  it,  after  that 
smashed  vase,  Polly  Pepper!" 

Polly  Pepper  sat  down  on  the  shoe-box,  quite 
gone  in  surprise. 


408    FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

It  was  as  Alexia  had  said:  a  most  surprising 
thing,  when  one  took  into  consideration  how 
much  Mr.  John  Clemcy  had  suffered  from  the 
carelessness  of  a  Salisbury  pupil  on  the  occasion 
of  the  accidental  visit.  But  evidently  one  of  his 
reasons  —  though  by  no  means  the  only  one  — 
was  his  wish  to  salve  the  feelings  of  the  gentle 
women,  who  were  constantly  endeavoring  to  show 
him  their  overwhelming  sorrow,  and  trying  to 
make  all  possible  reparation  for  the  loss  of  the 
vase. 

And  he  had  stated  his  desire  so  forcibly  on 
one  of  the  many  visits  to  the  school  that  seemed 
to  be  necessary  after  the  accident,  that  Miss 
Salisbury  was  unable  to  refuse  the  invitation, 
although  it  nearly  threw  her,  self-contained  as 
she  usually  was,  into  a  panic  at  the  very  idea. 

"But  why  did  you  promise,  sister?"  Miss 
Anstice  turned  on  her  on  the  withdrawal  of  the 
gentleman,  whose  English  composure  of  face  and 
bearing  was  now,  in  its  victory,  especially  trying 
to  bear.  "I  am  surprised  at  you.  Something 
dreadful  will  surely  happen." 

"Don't,  Anstice,"  begged  Miss  Salisbury,  ner 
vous  to  the  last  degree,  since  even  the  support  of 
" sister"  was  to  be  withdrawn.  "It  was  the 


THE  CLEMCY  GARDEN  PARTY 


409 


least  I  could  do,  to  please  him  —  after  what  has 
happened." 

"Well,  something  will  surely  happen,"  mourned 
Miss  Anstice.  "You  know  how  unfortunate  it 
has  been  from  the  very  beginning,,  I've  never 
been  able  to  look  at  that  gown  since,  although  it 
has  been  washed  till  every  stain  is  removed," 

"Put  it  on  for  this  visit,  sister,"  advised  Miss 
Salisbury,  with  a  healthy  disapproval  of  super 
stitions,  "and  break  the  charm." 

"Oh,  never!"  Miss  Anstice  raised  her  slender 
hands.  "I  wouldn't  run  such  a  chance  as  to 
wear  that  gown  for  all  the  world.  It  will  be  un 
lucky  enough,  you  will  see,  without  that,  sister." 

But  as  far  as  anybody  could  see,  everything 
was  perfectly  harmonious  and  successful  on  the 
following  Saturday  afternoon.  To  begin  with, 
the  weather  was  perfect;  although  at  extremely 
short  intervals  Miss  Anstice  kept  reminding  her 
sister  that  a  tremendous  shower  might  be  ex 
pected  when  the  expedition  was  once  under  way. 

The  girls,  when  they  received  their  invitation 
Monday  morning  from  Miss  Salisbury  in  the 
long  schoolroom,  were,  to  state  it  figuratively, 
"taken  off  their  feet"  in  surprise,  with  the  ex 
ception  of  those  fortunate  enough  to  have  caught 


410    FIVE    LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

snatches  of  the  news  always  sure  to  travel  fast 
when  set  going  by  Alexia;  and  wild  was  the  re 
joicing,  when  they  could  forget  the  broken  vase, 
at  the  prospect  of  another  expedition  under  Miss 
Salisbury's  guidance. 

"If  Miss  Anstice  only  weren't  going!"  sighed 
Clem.  "She  is  such  a  fussy  old  thing.  It  spoils 
everybody's  fun  just  to  look  at  her." 

"Well,  don't  look  at  her,"  advised  Alexia 
calmly;  "for  my  part,  I  never  do,  unless  I  can't 
help  it." 

"How  are  you  going  to  help  it,"  cried  Amy 
Garrett  dismally,  "when  you  are  in  her  classes? 
Oh  dear!  I  do  wish  Miss  Salisbury  would  get  rid 
of  her  as  a  teacher,  and  let  Miss  Wilcox  take  her 
place." 

"Miss  Wilcox  is  just  gay!"  exclaimed  Silvia. 
'Well,  don't  let's  talk  of  that  old  frump  any 
more.  Goodness  me!  here  she  comes,"  as  Miss 
Anstice  advanced  down  the  long  hall,  where  the 
girls  were  discussing  the  wonderful  invitation 
after  school. 

And  as  the  day  was  perfect,  so  the  spirits  of 
the  "Salisbury  girls"  were  at  their  highest.  And 
Mr.  Kimball  and  his  associates  drove  them  over 
in  the  same  big  barges,  the  veteran  leader  not 


THE  CLEMCY  GARDEN  PARTY       411 

recovering  from  the  surprise  into  which  he  had 
been  thrown  by  this  afternoon  par  y  given  to 
the  Salisbury  School  by  Mr.  Clemcy  and  his 
sister. 

"Of  all  things  in  this  world,  this  is  th'  cap- 
sheaf,"  he  muttered  several  times  on  the  way. 
"A  good  ten  year  or  more,  those  English  folks 
have  been  drawin'  back  in  them  pretty  grounds, 
an'  offendin'  every  one;  an'  now,  to  get  a  passel 
o'  girls  to  run  over  an'  stomp  'em  all  down!" 

Being  unable  to  solve  the  puzzle,  it  afforded 
him  plenty  of  occupation  to  work  away  at  it. 

Mr.  Clemcy  and  Miss  Ophelia,  caring  as  lit 
tle  for  the  opinion  of  the  stage-driver  as  for  the 
rest  of  the  world,  received  the  visitors  on  the 
broad  stone  piazza,  whose  pillars  ran  the  length 
of  the  house,  and  up  to  the  roof,  affording  a  wide 
gallery  above.  It  was  all  entwined  with  English 
ivy  and  creepers  taken  from  the  homestead  in 
Devonshire,  and  brought  away  when  the  death 
of  the  old  mother  made  it  impossible  for  life  to 
be  sustained  by  Miss  Ophelia  unless  wrenched 
up  from  the  roots  where  clustered  so  many  mem 
ories.  So  Brother  John  decided  to  make  that 
wrench,  and  to  make  it  complete.  So  here  they 
were. 


412     FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"I  didn't  know  it  was  so  pretty,"  cried  Clem, 
after  the  1:  dies  had  been  welcomed  with  the 
most  gracious,  old-time  hospitality,  and  the 
schoolgirls  tumbled  out  of  the  barges  to  throng 
up.  "It  rained  so  when  we  were  here  before, 
we  couldn't  see  anything." 

"Pretty?"  repeated  Alexia,  comprehending  it 
all  in  swift,  bird-like  glances.  "It's  perfectly 
beautiful!"  She  turned,  and  Mr.  Clemcy,  who 
was  regarding  her,  smiled,  and  they  struck  up  a 
friendship  on  the  spot. 

"Miss  Salisbury,  allow  me."  Mr.  Clemcy  was 
leading  her  off.  Miss  Anstice,  not  trusting  the 
ill-fated  white  gown,  rustled  after  in  the  black 
silk  one,  with  Miss  Ophelia,  down  the  wide  hall, 
open  at  the  end,  with  vistas  of  broad  fields  be 
yond,  where  the  host  paused.  "Let  the  young 
ladies  come,"  he  said:  and  the  girls  trooped  after, 
to  crowd  around  the  elder  people. 

Amongst  the  palms  and  bookcases,  with  which 
the  broad  hall  was  lined,  was  a  pedestal,  whose 
top  was  half  covered  with  a  soft,  filmy  cloth. 

Mr.  Clemcy  lifted  this,  and  took  it  off  care 
fully.  There  stood  the  little  vase,  presenting 
as  brave  an  appearance  as  in  its  first  perfec 
tion. 


THERE    STOOD    THE    LITTLE    VASE,    PRESENTING    AS    BRAVE    AN 
APPEARANCE    AS    IN    ITS    FIRST    PERFECTION. 


THE  CLEMCY  GARDEN  PARTY      413 

Miss  Salisbury  uttered  no  exclamation,  but  pre 
served  her  composure  by  a  violent  effort. 

"I  flatter  myself  on  my  ability  to  repair  my 
broken  collection,"  began  Mr.  Clemcy,  when  a 
loud  exclamation  from  the  girls  in  front  startled 
every  one.  Miss  Anstice,  on  the  first  shock,  had 
been  unable  to  find  that  composure  that  was 
always  "sister's"  envied  possession;  so  despite 
the  environment  of  the  black  silk  gown,  she  gave 
it  up,  and  sank  gradually  to  the  ground. 

"I  told  you  so,"  cried  Clem,  in  a  hoarse  whis 
per  to  her  nearest  neighbors;  "she  always  spoils 
everybody's  fun,"  as  Miss  Anstice,  at  the  host's 
suggestion,  his  sister  being  rendered  incapable 
of  action  at  this  sudden  emergency,  was  put  to 
rest  in  one  of  the  pretty  chintz- covered  rooms 
above,  till  such  time  as  she  could  recover  herself 
enough  to  join  them  below. 

"I  couldn't  help  it,  sister,"  she  said.  "I've 
been  so  worried  about  that  vase.  You  don't 
know,  because  you  are  always  so  calm;  and  then 
to  see  it  standing  there  —  it  quite  took  away  my 
breath." 

Oh,  the  delights  of  the  rose-garden!  in  which 
every  variety  of  the  old-fashioned  rose  seemed  to 
have  had  a  place  lovingly  assigned  to  it.  Sweet- 


414    FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

brier  clambered  over  the  walls  of  the  gardener's 
cottage,  the  stables,  and  charming  summer-houses, 
into  which  the  girls  ran  with  delight.  For  Mr. 
Clemcy  had  said  they  were  to  go  everywhere  and 
enjoy  everything  without  restraint. 

"He's  a  dear,"  exclaimed  Lucy  Bennett,  "only 
I'm  mortally  afraid  of  him." 

"Well,  I'm  not,"  proclaimed  Alexia. 

The  idea  of  Alexia  being  in  any  state  that 
would  suggest  fear,  being  so  funny,  the  girls 
burst  out  laughing. 

"Well,  we  sha'n't  any  of  us  feel  like  laughing 
much  in  a  little  while,"  said  Clem  dolefully. 

"What  is  the  matter?"  cried  a  dozen  voices. 

"Matter  enough,"  replied  Clem.  "I've  said 
so  before,  and  now  I  know  it's  coming.  Just 
look  at  that." 

She  pushed  aside  the  swaying  branches  of  the 
sweetbrier,  and  pointed  tragically.  "I  don't  see 
anything,"  said  one  or  two  of  the  girls. 

"There!"  "There"  meant  Mr.  Clemcy  and 
Miss  Salisbury  passing  down  the  rose-walk,  the 
broad  central  path.  He  was  evidently  showing 
her  some  treasured  variety  and  descanting  on 
it;  the  principal  of  the  Salisbury  School  from 
her  wide  knowledge  of  roses,  as  well  as  of  other 


THE    CLEMCY    GARDEN    PARTY  415 

subjects,  being  able  to  respond  very  intelli 
gently. 

"Oh,  can't  you  see?  You  stupid  things!" 
cried  Clem.  "He's  going  to  marry  our  Miss 
Salisbury,  and  then  she'll  give  up  our  school; 
and  —  and  -  She  turned  away,  and  threw 
herself  of!  in  a  corner. 

A  whole  chorus  of  "No  —  no!"  burst  upon 
this  speech. 

"Hush!"  cried  Alcxia,  quite  horrified.  "Polly, 
do  stop  them;  Miss  Salisbury  is  turning  around; 
and  she's  been  worried  quite  enough  over  that 
dreadful  Miss  Anstice,"  which  had  the  effect  of 
reducing  the  girls  to  quiet. 

"But  it  isn't  so,"  cried  the  girls  in  frantic 
whispers,  "what  Clem  says."  And  those  who 
were  not  sure  of  themselves  huddled  down  on 
the  summer-house  floor.  "Say,  Alexia,  you  don't 
think  so,  do  you?" 

But  Alexia  would  give  them  no  comfort,  but 
wisely  seizing  Polly's  arm,  departed  with  her. 
"I  shall  say  something  that  I'll  be  sorry  for," 
she  declared,  "if  I  stay  another  moment  longer. 
For,  Polly  Pepper,  I  do  really  believe  that  it's 
true,  what  Clem  says." 

And  the  rest  of  that  beautiful  afternoon,  with 


4i6    FIVE    LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

rambles  over  the  wide  estate,  and  tea  with  berries 
and  cream  on  the  terraces,  was  a  dream,  scarcely 
comprehended  by  the  "Salisbury  girls,"  who 
were  strangely  quiet  and  well-behaved.  For  this 
Miss  Salisbury  was  thankful. 

And  presently  Miss  Anstice,  coming  down  in 
the  wake  of  Miss  Ophelia,  was  put  carefully  into 
a  comfortable  chair  on  the  stone  veranda,  where 
she  sat  pale  and  quiet,  Miss  Clemcy  assiduously 
devoting  herself  to  her,  and  drawing  up  a  little 
table  to  her  side  for  her  berries  and  cream  and  tea. 

"Now  we  will  be  comfortable  together,"  said 
Miss  Ophelia,  the  maid  bringing  her  special  little 
pot  of  tea. 

"I  am  so  mortified,  my  dear  Miss  Clemcy," 
began  Miss  Anstice,  her  little  hands  nervously 
working,  "to  have  given  way;"  all  of  which  she 
had  said  over  and  over  to  her  hostess  in  the 
chintz-covered  room.  "And  you  are  so  kind  to 
overlook  it  so  beautifully." 

"It  is  impossible  to  blame  one  of  your  delicate 
sensibility,"  said  Miss  Ophelia;  with  her  healthy 
English  composure,  quite  in  her  element  to  have 
some  one  to  fuss  over,  and  to  make  comfortable 
in  her  own  way.  "Now,  then,  I  trust  that  tea 
is  quite  right,"  handing  her  a  cup. 


XXIV     THE    PIECE    OF   NEWS 

PEPPER,  you're    wanted!"     Dick  Furness 
banged  into    Joel's  room,  then  out  again, 
adding  two  words,  "Harrow  —  immediately." 

"All  right,"  said  Joel,  whistling  on;  all  his 
thoughts  upon  "Moose  Island"  and  the  expe 
dition  there  on  the  morrowc  And  he  ran  lightly 
down  to  the  second  floor,  and  into  the  under- 
teacher's  room. 

Mr.  Harrow  was  waiting  for  him;  and  pushing 
aside  some  books,  for  he  never  seemed  to  be 
quite  free  from  them  even  for  a  moment,  he  mo 
tioned  Joel  to  a  seat. 

Joel,  whose  pulses  were  throbbing  with  the 
liveliest  expectations,  didn't  bother  his  head  with 
what  otherwise  might  have  struck  him  as  some 
what  queer  in  the  under-teachcr's  manner.  For 
the  thing  in  hand  was  what  Joel  principally  gave 
himself  to.  And  as  that  clearly  could  be  nothing 
else  than  the  "Moose  Island  expedition,"  it  nat 
urally  followed  that  Mr.  Harrow  had  to  speak 
twice  before  he  could  gain  his  attention. 
417 


4i8     FIVE    LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

But  when  it  was  gained,  there  was  not  the 
slightest  possible  chance  of  misunderstanding 
what  the  under-teacher  was  saying,  for  it  was 
the  habit  of  this  instructor  to  come  directly  to 
the  point  without  unnecessary  circumlocution. 

But  his  voice  and  manner  were  not  without  a 
touch  of  sadness  on  this  occasion  that  softened 
the  speech  itself. 

'•Joel,  my  boy,"  Mr.  Harrow  began,  "you 
know  I  have  often  had  you  down  here  to  urge 
on  those  lessons  of  yours." 

"Yes,  sir,"  said  Joel,  wondering  now  at  the 
voice  and  manner. 

"Well,  now  to-day,  I  am  instructed  by  the 
master  to  send  for  you  for  a  different  reason. 
Can  you  not  guess?" 

"No,  sir,"  said  Joel,  comfortable  in  the  way 
things  had  been  going  on,  and  wholly  unable  to 
imagine  the  blow  about  to  fall. 

"I  wish  you  had  guessed  it,  Joel,"  said  Mr. 
Harrow,  moving  uneasily  in  his  chair,  "for  then 
you  would  have  made  my  task  easier.  Joel, 
Dr.  Marks  says,  on  account  of  your  falling  be 
hind  in  your  lessons,  without  reason  —  under 
stand  this,  Joel,  without  reason  —  you  are  not  to 
go  to  Moose  Island  to-morrow." 


THE   PIECE   OF   NEWS  419 

Even  then  Joel  did  not  comprehend.  So  Mr. 
Harrow  repeated  it  distinctly. 

"What!"  roared  Joel.  In  his  excitement  he 
cleared  the  space  between  them,  and  gained  Mr. 
Harrow's  side.  "Not  go  to  Moose  Island,  Mr. 
Harrow?"  his  black  eyes  widening,  and  his  face 
working  fearfully. 

"No,"  said  Mr.  Harrow,  drawing  a  long 
breath,  "you  are  not  to  go;  so  Dr.  Marks  says." 

"But  I  must  go,"  cried  Joel,  quite  gone  in 
passion. 

"'Must'  is  a  singular  word  to  use  here,  Joel," 
observed  Mr.  Harrow  sternly. 

"  But  I  —  oh,  Mr.  Harrow,  do  see  if  you  can't 
help  me  to  go."  Joel  squirmed  all  over,  and 
even  clutched  the  under-teacher's  arm  piteously. 

"Alas,  Joel!  it  is  beyond  my  power."  Mr. 
Harrow  shook  his  head.  He  didn't  think  it  ne 
cessary  to  state  that  he  had  already  used  every 
argument  he  could  employ  to  induce  Dr.  Marks 
to  change  his  mind.  "Some  strong  pressure 
must  be  brought  to  bear  upon  Pepper,  or  he 
will  amount  to  nothing  but  an  athletic  lad.  He 
must  see  the  value  of  study,"  the  master  had 
responded,  and  signified  that  the  interview  was 
ended,  iuul  his  command  was  to  be  carried  out. 


420    FIVE    LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"Joel,"  -  Mr.  Harrow  was  speaking  —  "be  a 
man,  and  bear  this  as  you  can.  You've  had  your 
chances  for  study,  and  not  taken  them.  It  is  a 
case  of  must  now.  Remember,  Dr.  Marks  is  do 
ing  this  in  love  to  you.  He  has  got  to  fit  you 
out  as  well  as  he  can  in  this  school,  to  take  that 
place  in  life  that  your  mother  wants  you  to  fill. 
Don't  waste  a  moment  on  vain  regrets,  but  buckle 
to  your  studies  now." 

It  was  a  long  speech  for  the  under-teacher, 
and  he  had  a  hard  time  getting  through  with  it. 
At  its  end,  Joel,  half  dazed  with  his  misfortune, 
but  with  a  feeling  that  as  a  man,  Dr.  Marks  and 
Mr.  Harrow  had  treated  him,  hurried  back  to 
his  room,  dragged  his  chair  up  to  the  table,  and 
pushing  off  the  untidy  collection  of  rackets,  ten 
nis  balls,  boxing-gloves,  and  other  implements  of 
his  gymnasium  work  and  his  recreation  hours, 
lent  his  whole  heart  with  a  new  impulse  to  his 
task. 

Somehow  he  did  not  feel  like  crying,  as  had 
often  been  the  case  with  previous  trials.  "He 
said,  'Be  a  man,'"  Joel  kept  repeating  over  and 
over  to  himself,  while  the  words  of  his  lesson 
swam  before  his  eyes.  "And  so  I  will;  and  he 
said,  Dr.  Marks  had  got  to  make  me  as  Mamsie 


THE    PIECE   OF    NEWS  421 

wanted  me  to  be,"  repeated  Joel  to  himself, 
taking  a  shorter  cut  with  the  idea.  "And  so  1 
will  be."  And  he  leaned  his  elbows  on  the 
table,  bent  his  head  over  his  book,  and  clutch 
ing  his  stubby  crop  by  both  hands  and  holding 
on  tightly,  he  was  soon  lost  to  his  misfortune 
and  the  outside  world. 

"Hullo!"  David  stood  still  in  amazement  at 
Joel's  unusual  attitude  over  his  lesson.  Then  he 
reflected  that  he  was  making  up  extra  work,  to 
be  free  for  the  holiday  on  tne  morrow.  Not 
withstanding  the  need  of  quiet,  David  was  so 
full  of  it  that  he  couldn't  refrain  from  saying 
jubilantly,  "Oh,  what  a  great  time  we'll  have 
to-morrow,  Joe!"  giving  him  a  pound  on  the 
back. 

"I'm  not  going,"  said  Joel,  without  raising  his 
head. 

David  ran  around  his  chair  to  look  at  him 
from  the  further  side,  then  peered  under  the 
bunch  of  curls  Joel  was  hanging  to. 

"What's  —  what's  the  matter,  Joe  ?  "  he  gasped, 
clutching  the  table. 

"Dr.  Marks  says  I'm  not  to  go,"  said  Joel, 
telling  the  whole  at  once. 

"Dr.  Marks  said  you  were  not  to  go!"    re- 


422     FIVE    LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

peated  David.  "Why,  Joel,  why?"  he  de 
manded  in  a  gasp. 

"I  haven't  studied;  I'm  way  behind.  Let  me 
alone,"  cried  Joel.  "I've  got  a  perfect  lot  to 
make  up,"  and  he  clutched  harder  than  ever  at 
his  hair. 

"Then  /  shall  not  go,"  declared  David,  and 
rushing  out  of  the  room  he  was  gone  before  Joel 
could  fly  from  his  chair;  which  he  did,  upsetting 
it  after  him. 

"Dave  —  Dave!^  he  yelled,  running  out  into 
the  hall,  in  the  face  of  a  stream  of  boys  coming 
up  from  gymnasium  practice. 

"What's  up,  Pepper?"  But  he  went  through 
their  ranks  like  a  shot.  Nevertheless  David  was 
nowhere  to  be  seen,  as  he  had  taken  some  short 
cut,  and  was  lost  in  the  crowd. 

Joel  bent  his  steps  to  the  under-teacher's 
room,  knocked,  and  in  his  excitement  thought  he 
heard,  "Come  in."  And  with  small  ceremony 
he  precipitated  himself  upon  Mr.  Harrow,  who 
seemed  to  be  lost  in  a  revery,  his  back  to  him, 
leaning  his  elbow  on  the  mantel,  and  his  head 
upon  his  hand. 

"Er  —  oh!"  exclaimed  Mr.  Harrow,  startled 
out  of  his  usual  composure,  and  turning  quickly 


THE    PIECE   OF    NEWS  423 

to  face  Joel.     "Oh,  it's  you,  Pepper!"   which  by 
no  means  lifted  him  out  of  his  depression. 

"Dave  says  he  won't  go  without  me.  You 
must  make  him,"  said  Joel,  in  his  intensity  for 
getting  his  manners. 

"To  Moose  Island?"  asked  Mr.  Harrow. 

Joel  nodded.  He  couldn't  yet  bring  himself 
to  speak  the  name. 

"All  right;  I  will,  Joe."  Mr.  Harrow  grasped 
the  brown  hand  hanging  by  Joel's  side. 

"Really?"    said  Joel,  swallowing  hard. 

"Really.  Run  back  to  your  books,  and  trust 
me." 

So  Joel  dashed  back,  not  minding  the  allur 
ing  cries  from  several  chums,  "Come  on  —  just 
time  for  a  game  before  supper,"  and  was  back 
before  his  table  in  the  same  attitude,  and  hang 
ing  to  his  hair. 

"I  can  study  better  so,"  he  said,  and  holding 
on  for  dear  life. 

One  or  two  boys  glanced  in.  "Come  out  of 
this  hole,"  they  cried.  "No  need  to  study  for 
to-morrow.  Gee  whiz!  just  think  of  Moose 
Island,  Joe." 

No  answer. 

"Joe!  "     They  ran  in  and  shook  his  shoulders. 


424    FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"Moose  Island!"  they  screamed,  and  the  excite 
ment  with  which  the  whole  school  was  charged 
was  echoing  it  through  the  length  of  the  dorm'- 
tory. 

"Go  away,"  cried  Joel  at  them,  "or  I'll  fire 
something  at  you,"  as  they  swarmed  around  his 
chair. 

"Fire  your  old  grammar,"  suggested  one,  try 
ing  to  twitch  away  his  book  ;  and  another  pulled 
the  chair  out  from  under  him. 

Joel  sprawled  a  moment  on  the  floor;  then 
he  sprang  up,  hanging  to  his  book,  and  faced 
them.  "I'm  not  going.  Clear  out."  And  in  a 
moment  the  room  was  as  still  as  if  an  invasion 
had  never  taken  place.  In  their  astonishment 
they  forgot  to  utter  a  word. 

And  in  ten  minutes  the  news  was  all  over  the 
playground  and  in  all  the  corridors,  "Joe  Pep 
per  isn't  going  to  Moose  Island." 

If  they  had  said  that  the  corner  stone  of  the 
dormitory  was  shaky,  the  amazement  would  not 
have  been  so  great  in  some  quarters;  and  the 
story  was  not  believed  until  they  had  it  from 
Joe  himself.  Then  amazement  changed  to  grief. 
Not  to  have  Joe  Pepper  along,  was  to  do  away 
with  half  the  fun. 


THE    PIECE   OF   NEWS  425 

Percy  ran  up  to  him  in  the  greatest  excite 
ment  just  before  supper.  "What  is  it,  Joe?" 
he  cried.  "The  fellows  are  trying  to  say  that 
you're  not  going  to  Moose  Island."  He  was  red 
with  running,  and  panted  dreadfully.  "And  Van 
is  giving  it  to  Red  Hiller  for  telling  such  a  whop 
per."  ' 

"Well,  he  needn't,"  said  Joel,  "for  it's  per 
fectly  true.  I'm  not  going." 

Percy  tried  to  speak;  but  what  with  running, 
and  his  astonishment,  his  tongue  flapped  up  idly 
against  the  roof  of  his  mouth. 

"Dr.  Marks  won't  let  me,"  said  Joel,  not 
mincing  matters.  "I've  got  to  study;  so  there's 
an  end  of  it."  But  when  Davic  came  in,  a 
woe-bcgone  figure,  for  Mr.  Harrow  had  kept  his 
promise,  then  was  Joel's  hardest  time.  And  he 
clenched  his  brown  hands  to  keep  the  tears  back 
then,  for  David  gave  way  to  such  a  flood  in  the 
bitterness  of  his  grief  to  go  without  Joel,  that  for 
a  time,  Joel  was  in  danger  of  utterly  losing  his 
own  self-control. 

"I'm  confounded  glad."  It  was  Jenk  who 
said  it  to  his  small  following;  and  hearing  it, 
Tom  Beresford  blazed  at  him.  "If  you  weren't 
quite  so  small,  I'd  knock  you  iown." 


426     FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"Well,  I  am  glad,"  -  Jenk  put  a  goodly  dis 
tance  between  himself  and  Tom,  notwithstand 
ing  Tom's  disgust  at  the  idea  of  touching  him  - 
"for  Pepper  is  so  high  and  mighty,  it's  time  he 
was  taken  down,"  but  a  chorus  of  yells  made 
him  beat  a  retreat. 

Dr.  Marks  paced  up  and  down  his  study  floor, 
his  head  bent,  his  hands  folded  behind  him. 

"It  was  the  only  way.  No  ordinary  course 
could  be  taken  with  Pepper.  It  had  come  to 
be  imperative.  It  will  make  a  man  of  him." 
He  stepped  to  the  desk  and  wrote  a  few  words, 
slipped  them  into  an  envelope,  sealed  and  ad 
dressed  it. 

"Joanna!"  He  went  to  the  door  and  sum 
moned  a  maid,  the  same  one  who  had  shaken 
her  broom  at  Joel  when  he  rushed  in  with  the 
dog.  "Take  this  over  to  the  North  Dormitory 
as  quickly  as  possible."  It  seemed  to  be  espe 
cially  necessary  that  haste  be  observed;  and  Dr. 
Marks,  usually  so  collected,  hurried  to  the  win 
dow  to  assure  himself  that  his  command  was 
obeyed. 

Mrs.  Fox  took  the  note  as  Joanna  handed  it 
in,  and  sent  it  up  at  once,  as  those  were  the 
orders  from  the  master.  It  arrived  just  at  the 


THE   PIECE   OF    NEWS  427 

moment  when  Joel  was  at  the  end  of  his  self- 
mastery.  He  tore  it  open.  "My  boy,  knowing 
you  as  I  do,  I  feel  sure  that  you  will  be  brave 
in  bearing  this.  It  will  help  you  to  conquer 
your  dislike  for  study  and  make  a  man  of  you. 
Affectionately  yours,  H.  L.  Marks." 

Joel  swung  the  note  up  over  his  head,  and 
there  was  such  a  glad  ring  to  his  voice  that 
David  was  too  astonished  to  cry. 

"See  there!"  Joel  proudly  shook  it  at  him. 
"  Read  it,  Dave." 

So  David  seized  it,  and  blinked  in  amaze 
ment. 

"Dr.  Marks  has  written  to  me,"  said  Joel  im 
portantly,  just  as  if  David  hadn't  the  note  before 
him.  "And  he  says,  'Be  a  man,'  just  as  Mr. 
Harrow  said,  and,  '  affectionately  yours.'  Now, 
what  do  you  think  of  that,  Dave  Pepper?" 

David  was  so  lost  in  the  honor  that  had  come 
to  Joel,  that  the  grief  that  lie  was  feeling  in  the 
thought  of  the  expedition  to  be  made  to  Moose 
Island  to-morrow  without  Joel,  began  to  pale. 
He  smiled  and  lifted  his  eyes,  lately  so  wet  with 
tears.  "Mamsie  would  like  that  note,  Joe." 

Tom  Beresford  rushed  in  without  the  formal 
ity  of  a  knock,  and  gloomily  threw  himself  on 


428    FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

the  bed.  "Poor  Joe!"  was  written  all  over  his 
long  face. 

"Oh,  you  needn't,  Tom,"  said  Joel  gaily,  and 
prancing  up  and  down  the  room,  "pity  me,  be 
cause  I  won't  have  it." 

"It's  pity  for  myself  as  well,"  said  Tom  lu 
gubriously,  and  cramming  the  pillow-end  into 
his  mouth.  "What's  a  fellow  to  do  without  you, 
Joe  ?  "  suddenly  shying  the  pillow  at  Joel. 

Joe  caught  it  and  shied  it  back,  then  twitched 
the  master's  note  out  of  David's  hand.  "Read 
it,  Tom,"  he  cried,  with  sparkling  eyes. 

"I'd  much  rather  stay  back  with  you,  Joe," 
Tom  was  saying. 

"Well,  you  won't,"  retorted  Joel.  "Dave 
tried  that  on,  but  it  was  no  good.  Read  it,  I 
tell  you."  So  Tom  sat  up  on  the  bed,  and  spread 
Dr.  Marks'  note  on  his  knee. 

"Great  Caesar's  ghost!  It's  from  the  master 
himself!  And  what  does  he  say?"  Tom  rubbed 
his  eyes  violently,  stared,  and  rushed  over  the 
few  sentences  pellmell;  then  returned  to  take 
them  slowly  to  be  sure  of  their  meaning. 

"Joe  Pepper!"     He  got  off  from  the  bed. 

"Isn't  it  great!"  cried  Joel.  "Give  me  my 
note,  Tom." 


THE    PIECE   OF   NEWS  429 

"I  should  say  so!"  cried  Tom,  bobbing  his 
head.  "I  shouldn't  in  the  least  mind  being  kept 
back  from  a  few  things,  to  get  a  note  like  that. 
Think  of  it,  Joe,  from  Dr.  Marks!" 

"I  know  it,"  cried  Joel,  in  huge  satisfaction. 
"Well,  now,  you  must  take  yourself  off,  Tom; 
I've  got  to  study  like  a  Trojan."  He  ran  to  the 
closet,  and  came  back  with  his  arms  full  of 
books. 

"All  right,"  said  Tom,  shooting  out.  Then 
he  shot  back,  gave  Joel  a  pat  —  by  no  means  a 
light  one;  —  "Success  to  you,  old  fellow!"  and 
was  off,  this  time  for  good. 

And  Davie  dreamed  that  night  that  Joel  took 
first  prize  in  everything  straight  through;  and 
that  he  himself  was  sailing,  sailing,  over  an  in 
terminable  sea  (going  to  Moose  Island  probably), 
under  a  ban  never  to  come  back  to  Dr.  Marks' 
school.  And  the  first  thing  he  knew,  Joel  was 
pounding  him  and  calling  lustily,  "Get  up, 
Dave;  you  know  you  are  to  start  early." 

And  then  all  was  bustle  and  confusion  enough, 
as  how  could  it  be  helped  with  all  those  boys 
getting  off  on  such  an  expedition? 

And  Joel  was  the  brighcst  of  them  all,  here, 
there,  and  everywhere!  You  never  would  have 


430     FIVE    LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

guessed  that  he  wasn't  the  leading  spirit  in  the 
whole  expedition,  and  its  bright  particular  star! 

And  he  ran  down  to  the  big  stone  gate  to  see 
them  off.  And  the  boys  wondered;  but  there 
was  no  chance  to  pity  him,  with  such  a  face. 
There  was  only  pity  for  themselves. 

And  somebody  started,  '''Three  cheers  for  Joe 
Pepper!"  It  wasn't  the  under-teacher,  but  he 
joined  with  a  right  good  will;  and  the  whole 
crowd  took  it  up,  as  Joel  ran  back  to  tackle 
his  books,  pinching  Dr.  Marks'  letter  in  his 
pocket,  to  make  sure  it  really  was  there! 

Just  about  this  time,  Alexia  Rhys  was  rush 
ing  to  school.  She  was  late,  for  everything  had 
gone  wrong  that  morning  from  the  very  begin 
ning.  And  of  course  Polly  Pepper  had  started 
for  school,  when  Alexia  called  for  her;  and  feel 
ing  as  if  nothing  mattered  now,  the  corner  was 
reached  despairingly,  when  she  heard  her  name 
called. 

It  was  an  old  lady  who  was  a  friend  of  her 
aunt's,  and  Alexia  paused  involuntarily,  then  ran 
across  the  street  to  see  what  was  wanted. 

"Oh,  my  dear,  I  suppose  I  ought  not  to  stop 
you,  for  you  are  going  to  school. " 

uOh,  it  doesn't  matter,"  said     Alexia    indif- 


THE   PIECE   OF    NEWS  431 

ferently;  "I'm  late  anyway.  What  is  it,  Miss 
Seymour?" 

"I  want  to  congratulate  you  —  T  must  con 
gratulate  you,"  exclaimed  old  Miss  Seymour, 
with  an  excited  little  cackle.  "I  really  must, 
Alexia." 

Alexia  ran  over  in  her  mind  everything  for 
which  she  could,  by  any  possibility,  be  con 
gratulated;  and  finding  nothing,  she  said,  "What 
for?"  quite  abruptly. 

"Oh,  my  dear!  Haven't  you  heard?"  Old 
Miss  Seymour  put  her  jewelled  lingers  on  the 
girl's  shoulder.  She  had  gathered  up  her  dressy 
morning  robe  in  her  hand,  and  hastened  down 
her  front  steps  at  the  first  glimpse  of  Alexia 
across  the  way. 

Alexia  knew  of  old  the  roundabout  way  pur 
sued  by  her  aunt's  friend  in  her  narrations.  Be 
sides,  she  cared  very  little  anyway  for  this  bit  of 
old  women's  gossip.  So  she  said  carelessly,  "No, 
I'm  sure  I  haven't;  and  I  don't  believe  it's 
much  anyway,  Miss  Seymour." 

"'Much  anyway?'  oh,  my  dear!"  Old  Miss 
Seymour  held  up  both  hands.  "Well,  what 
would  you  say  if  you  should  be  told  that  your 
teacher  was  going  to  be  married?" 


432     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

Alexia  staggered  backward  and  put  up  both 
hands.  "Oh,  don't,  Miss  Seymour,"  she  cried, 
the  fears  she  had  been  fighting  so  many  weeks 
now  come  true.  Then  she  burst  out  passion 
ately,  "Oh,  it  isn't  true  —  it  can't  be!" 

"Well,  but  it  is,"  cried  Miss  Seymour  posi 
tively.  "I  had  it  not  ten  minutes  since  from  a 
very  intimate  friend;  and  as  you  were  the  first 
Salisbury  girl  I  saw,  why,  I  wanted  to  congratu 
late  you,  of  course,  as  soon  as  1  could." 

"Salisbury  girl!"  Alexia  groaned  as  she 
thought  how  they  should  never  have  that  title 
applied  to  them  any  more;  for  of  course  the 
beautiful  school  was  doomed.  "And  where 
shall  we  all  go?"  she  cried  to  herself  in  despair. 

"Oh,  how  could  she  go  and  get  engaged!" 
she  exclaimed  aloud. 

"Yo1!  haven't  asked  who  the  man  is,"  said 
Miss  Seymour  in  surprise. 

"Oh,  I  know  —  I  know,"  said  Alexia  miser 
ably;  "it's  Mr.  John  Clcmcy.  Oh,  if  we  hadn't 
had  that  old  picnic!"  she  burst  out. 

"Eh  — what?"  exclaimed  the  little  old  lady 
quickly. 

"Never  mind.  It  doesn't  signify  who  the  man 
is.  It  doesn't  signify  about  anything,"  said 


THE    PIECE    OF    NEWS  433 

Alexia  wildly,  "as  long  as  Miss  Salisbury  is 
going  to  get  married  and  give  up  our  school." 

"Oh,  I  don't  suppose  the  school  will  be  given 
up,"  said  Miss  Seymour. 

"What?  Why,  of  course  it  will  be.  How 
can  she  keep  it  after  she  is  married?"  cried 
Alexia  impatiently.  She  longed  to  say,  "you 
goose  you!" 

"Why,  I  suppose  the  other  one  will  keep  it, 
of  course;  and  it  will  go  on  just  the  same  as  it 
did  before." 

"Oh  dear  me!  The  idea  of  Miss  Anstice 
keeping  that  school!"  With  all  her  misery, 
Alexia  couldn't  help  bursting  into  a  laugh. 

"Miss  Anstice?" 

"Yes;  if  you  knew  her  as  we  girls  do,  Miss  Sey 
mour,  you  never'd  say  she  could  run  that  school." 

"I  never  said  she  could." 

"Oh,  yes,  you  did,"  Alexia  was  guilty  of  con 
tradicting.  "You  said  distinctly  that  when  Miss 
Salisbury  was  married,  you  supposed  Miss  An 
stice  would  keep  it  on  just  the  same." 

Little  old  Miss  Seymour  took  three  or  four 
steps  down  the  pavement,  then  turned  and  trotted 
back,  the  dressy  morning  robe  still  gathered  in 
her  hand. 


434    FIVE    LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"Who  do  you  think  is  engaged  to  Mr.  John 
Clemcy?"  she  asked,  looking  up  at  the  tall  girl. 

"Why,  our  Miss  Salisbury,"  answered  Alexia, 
ready  to  cry,  "I  suppose.  That's  what  you 
said." 

"Oh,  no,  I  didn't,"  said  the  little  old  lady. 
"It's  Miss  Anstice  Salisbury." 

Alexia  gave  her  one  look;  then  took  some  fly 
ing  steps  across  the  street,  and  away  down  to 
the  Salisbury  School.  She  met  a  stream  of 
girls  in  the  front  hall;  and  as  soon  as  she  saw 
their  faces,  she  knew  that  her  news  was  all  old. 

And  they  could  tell  her  something  more. 

"Miss  Wilcox  is  going  to  be  the  assistant 
teacher,"  cried  Amy  Garrett. 

"And  Miss  Salisbury  announced  it;  why  were 
you  late,  Alexia?"  It  was  a  perfect  buzz  around 
her  ears.  "And  then  she  dismissed  school;  and 
we're  all  going  down  to  the  drawing-room  now, 
to  congratulate  Miss  Anstice." 

Alexia  worked  her  way  to  Polly  Pepper  and 
clung  to  her. 

"Oh,  Alexia,  you've  got  here!"  cried  Polly 
delightedly.  "And  only  think,  we  can  keep  our 
Miss  Salisbury  after  all." 


XXV  "THE  VERY  PRETTIEST  AFFAIR" 

\  ND  Mr.  John  Clemcy,  having  put  off  any 
^"*-  inclination  to  marry  till  so  late  in  life,  was, 
now  that  he  had  made  his  choice,  in  a  ferment  to 
hurry  its  consummation.  And  Miss  Ophelia, 
who  was  still  to  keep  the  house  and  run  the  old- 
fashioned  flower  garden  to  suit  herself  —  thus 
losing  none  of  her  honors  —  and  being  in  her 
element,  as  has  been  stated,  with  some  one  "to 
fuss  over  "  (her  self-contained  brother  not  yield 
ing  her  sufficient  occupation  in  that  line),  begged 
that  the  wedding  might  take  place  soon.  So 
there  was  really  no  reason  on  earth  why  it  should 
not  be  celebrated,  and  Miss  Wilcox  be  installed 
as  assistant,  and  thus  all  things  be  in  running 
order  for  the  new  year  at  the  Salisbury  School. 

"And  they  say  he  has  heaps  of  money  —  Mr. 
Clemcy  has,"  cried  Alcxia,  in  the  midst  of  the 
excitement  of  the  next  few  days,  when  everybody 
was  trying  to  adjust  themselves  to  this  new  con 
dition  of  affairs.  A  lot  of  the  girls  were  up  in 

435 


436     FIVE    LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

Polly  Pepper's  room.  "And  it's  an  awful  old 
family  back  of  him  in  England,"  she  went  on, 
"though  for  my  part,  I'd  rather  have  some 
thing  to  do  with  making  my  name  myself." 

"Oh,  Alexia,"  cried  Clem,  "think  of  all  those 
perfectly  elegant  old  family  portraits!" 

"Mouldy  old  things!"  exclaimed  Alexia,  who 
had  small  reverence  for  such  things.  "I  should 
be  ashamed  of  them,  if  I  were  Mr.  John  Clemcy 
and  his  sister.  They  don't  look  as  if  they  knew 
anything  to  begin  with ;  and  such  arms  and 
hands,  and  impossible  necks!  Oh  my!  It  quite 
gives  me  a  turn  to  look  at  them." 

"We  are  quite  distinguished  —  the  Salisbury 
School  is,"  said  Silvia,  with  an  elegant  manner, 
and  a  toss  of  her  head.  "My  mother  says  it 
will  be  splendid  capital  to  Miss  Salisbury  to  have 
such  a  connection." 

"And,  oh,  just  think  of  Miss  Anstice's  engage 
ment  ring!"  exclaimed  another  girl.  "Oh  my, 
on  her  little  thin  finger!  " 

"It's  awful  old-fashioned,"  cried  Silvia,  "set 
in  silver.  But  then,  it's  big,  and  a  very  pure 
stone,  my  mother  says;  and  quite  shows  that 
the  family  must  have  been  something,  for  it  is 
an  heirloom." 


"THE    VERY    PRETTIEST   AFFAIR"        437 

"Oh,  do  stop  about  family  and  heirlooms," 
cried  Alexia  impatiently;  "the  main  thing  is  that 
our  Miss  Salisbury  isn't  going  to  desert  us. " 

"Miss  Anstice  is;  oh,  goody!"  Amy  Garrett 
hopped  up  and  down  and  softly  beat  her  hands 
while  she  finished  the  sentence. 

"Hush!"  Alexia  turned  on  her  suddenly. 
"Now,  Amy,  and  the  rest  of  you  girls,  I  think 
we  ought  to  stop  this  nonsense  about  Miss  An 
stice;  she's  going,  and  I,  maybe,  haven't  treated 
her  just  rightly.  " 

"Of  course  you  haven't,"  assented  Clem  coolly. 
"You've  worried  her  life  nearly  out  of  her." 

"And  oh,  dear  me!  I'm  sorry  now,"-  said 
Alexia,  not  minding  in  the  least  what  Clem  was 
saying.  "I  wonder  why  it  is  that  I'm  forever 
being  sorry  about  things." 

"Because  you're  forever  having  your  own 
way,"  said  Clem;  "I'll  tell  you." 

"And  so  I'm  going  to  be  nice  to  her  now," 
said  Alexia,  with  a  perfectly  composed  glance  at 
Clem.  "Let's  all  be,  girls.  I  mean,  behind 
her  back." 

Polly  Pepper  ran  over  across  the  room  to  slip 
her  arm  within  Alexia's,  and  give  her  a  little 
approving  pat. 


438     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

"It  will  be  so  strange  not  to  make  fun  of  her," 
observed  Amy  Garrett,  "but  I  suppose  we  can't 
now,  anyway,  that  she  is  to  be  Mrs.  John  Clcmcy." 

"  Mrs.  John  Clcmcy,  indeed ! "  exclaimed  Alexia, 
standing  very  tall.  "She  was  just  as  nice  before, 
as  sister  of  our  Miss  Salisbury,  I'd  have  you  to 
know,  girls." 

"Well,  now  what  are  we  to  give  her  as  a  wed 
ding  present?"  said  Polly  Pepper.  "You  know 
we,  as  the  committee,  ought  to  talk  it  over  at 
once.  Let's  sit  down  on  the  floor  in  a  ring  and 
begin." 

"Yes,"  said  Alexia;  "now  all  flop."  And  setting 
the  example,  she  got  down  on  the  floor;  and  the 
girls  tumbling  after,  the  ring  was  soon  formed. 

"Hush  now,  do  be  quiet,  Clem,  if  you  can," 
cried  Alexia,  to  pay  up  old  scores. 

"I  guess  I'm  not  making  as  much  noise  as 
some  other  people,"  said  Clem,  with  a  wry  face. 

"Well,  Polly's  going  to  begin  ;  and  as  she's 
chairman,  we've  all  got  to  be  still  as  mice. 
Hush!" 

"I  think,"  said  Polly,  "the  best  way  would  be, 
instead  of  wasting  so  much  time  in  talking, 
and—" 

"Getting  into  a  hubbub,"  interpolated  Alexia. 


"THE    VERY    PRETTIEST    AFFAIR"        439 

"Who's  talking  now,"  cried  Clem  trium 
phantly,  "and  making  a  noise?" 

"Getting  in  confusion,"  finished  Polly,  "would 
be,  for  us  each  to  write  out  the  things  that  Miss 
Anstice  might  like,  on  a  piece  of  paper,  without 
showing  it  to  any  of  the  other  girls;  then  pass 
them  in  to  me,  and  I'll  read  them  aloud.  And 
perhaps  we'll  choose  something  out  of  all  the 
lists." 

"Oh,  Polly,  how  fine!  —  just  the  thing." 

"I'll  get  the  paper." 

"And  the  pencils."  The  ring  was  in  a  hub 
bub  ;  Alexia,  as  usual,  the  first  to  hop  out  of  her 
place. 

"Sit  down,  girls,"  said  Polly  as  chairman.  So 
they  all  flew  back  again. 

"There,  you  see  now,"  said  Alexia,  huddling 
expeditiously  into  her  place  next  to  Polly,  "how 
no  one  can  stir  till  the  chairman  tells  us  to.'; 

"Who  jumped  first  of  all?"  exclaimed  Clem, 
bursting  into  a  laugh. 

"Well,  I'm  back  again,  anyhow,"  said  Alexia 
coolly,  and  folding  her  hands  in  her  lap. 

"I'll  appoint  Lucy  Bennett  and  Silvia  Home 
to  get  the  paper  and  pencils,"  said  Polly.  "They 
are  on  my  desk,  girls." 


440    FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

Alexia  smothered  the  sigh  at  her  failure  to  be 
one  of  the  girls  to  perform  this  delightful  task; 
but  the  paper  being  brought,  she  soon  forgot  her 
disappointment,  in  having  something  to  do. 

"We  must  all  tear  it  up  into  strips,"  said  the 
chairman,  and,  beginning  on  a  sheet,  "Lucy, 
you  can  be  giving  around  the  pencils." 

And  presently  the  whole  committee  was  rack 
ing  its  brains  over  this  terribly  important  ques 
tion  thrust  upon  them. 

"It  must  be  something  that  will  always  reflect 
credit  on  the  Salisbury  School,"  observed  Alexia, 
leaning  her  chin  on  her  hand  while  she  played 
with  her  pencil. 

"Ugh!  do  be  still."  Lucy,  on  the  other  side, 
nudged  her.  "I  can't  think,  if  anybody  speaks 
a  word." 

"And  fit  in  well  with  those  old  portraits,"  said 
Clem,  with  a  look  at  Alexia. 

"Well,  I  hope  and  pray  that  we  won't  give  her 
anything  old.  I  want  it  spick,  span,  new;  and 
to  be  absolutely  up-to-date."  Alexia  took  her 
chin  out  of  her  hand,  and  sat  up  decidedly. 
"The  idea  of  matching  up  those  mouldy  old 
portraits !--  and  that  house  just  bursting  with 
antiques." 


THE    VERY    PRETTIEST    AFFAIR"         441 

"Ugh!  do  hush,"  cried  the  girls. 
"And  write  what  you  want  to,  Alexia,  on  your 
own  slip,  and  keep  still,"  said  Silvia,  wrinkling 
her  brows;  "you  just  put  something  out  of  my 
head;  and  it  was  perfectly  splendid." 

"But  I  can't  think  of  a  thing  that  would  be 
good  enough,"  grumbled  Alexia,  "for  the  Salis 
bury  School  to  give.  Oh  dear  me!"  and  she  re 
garded  enviously  the  other  pencils  scribbling 
away. 

"My  list  is  done."  Amy  Garrett  pinched  hers 
into  a  little  three-cornered  note,  and  threw  it 
into  Polly's  lap. 

"And  mine  — and  mine."  They  all  came  in 
fast  in  a  small  white  shower. 

"Oh  my  goodness!"  exclaimed  Alexia,  much 
alarmed  that  she  would  be  left  out  altogether. 
"Wait,  Chairman  —  I  mean,  Polly,"  and  she 
began  scribbling  away  for  dear  life. 

"Oh  dear  me!"  The  chairman  unfolded  the 
first  strip,  and  began  to  read.  "A  piano  —  why, 
girls,  Miss  Anstice  can't  play." 

"Well,  it  would  look  nice  in  that  great  big 
drawing-room,"  said  Clem,  letting  herself  out 
with  a  very  red  face. 

"Oh,  my!   you  wrote  a  piano!"     Alexia  went 


442     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

over  backward  suddenly  to  lie  flat  on  the  floor 
and  laugh.  "Besides,  there  is  one  in  thai 
house." 

"An  old  thing!"  exclaimed  Clem  in  disdain. 

"Well,    let's   see;   here's    something   nice"- 
Polly  ran  along  the  list  —  "a  handsome  chair,  a 
desk,  a  cabinet.     Those  are  fine!" 

'Clem  has  gone  into  the  furniture  business,  I 
should  think,"  said  Philena. 

"And  a  cabinet!"  exclaimed  Amy  Garrett, 
"when  that  house  is  just  full  of  'em." 

"Oh,  I  mean  a  jewel  cabinet,  or  something  of 
that  sort,"  explained  Clem  hastily. 

"That's  not  bad,"  announced  Silvia,  "for  I 
suppose  he'll  give  her  all  the  rest  of  those  heir 
looms;  great  strings  of  pearls  probably  he's  got, 
and  everything  else.  Dear  me,  don't  I  wish  we 
girls  could  see  them!"  and  she  lost  herself  in  ad 
miration  over  the  fabulous  Clemcy  jewels. 

"Well,  Chairman  —  Polly,  I  mean"  —  Alexia 
flew  into  position  —  "what's  the  next  list?" 

"This  is  quite  different,"  said  Polly,  unrolling 
it;  "some  handsome  lace,  a  fan,  a  lorgnette,  a 
bracelet." 

"It's  easy  enough  to  see  that's  Silvia's,"  said 
Alexia  —  "all  that  finery  and  furbelows." 


«  THE   VERY    PRETTIEST   AFFAIR  "        443 

"Well,  it's  not  fair  to  tell  what  you  think  and 
guess,"  said  Silvia,  a  pink  spot  coming  on  either 
cheek. 

"'Twouldn't  make  any  difference,  my  guessing; 
we  all  know  it's  yours,  Silvia,"  said  Alexia,  coolly. 

"Well,  I  think  that's  a  lovely  list,"  said  Amy, 
with  sparkling  eyes,  "and  I  for  one  would  be 
willing  to  vote  for  any  of  those  things." 

"My  mother  says  we  better  give  her  some 
thing  to  wear,"  said  Silvia,  smoothing  down  her 
gown.  "Miss  Ansticc  likes  nice  things;  and  that 
great  big  house  is  running  over  with  everything 
to  furnish  with." 

Polly  was  reading  the  third  list,  so  somebody 
pulled  Alexia's  arm  and  stopped  her.  "A  watch 
and  chain  —  that's  all  there  is  on  this  list,"  an 
nounced  Polly. 

"Oh!"  —  there    was    a    chorus    of    voices  - 
"that's  it  — that's  it!"  and  "Why  didn't  I  think 
of  that?"  until  the  whole  ring  was  in  a  tumult 
again. 

It  was  no  matter  what  was  on  the  other  lists. 
The  chairman  read  them  over  faithfully,  but  the 
items  fell  upon  dull  ears,  They  might  make 
suitable  tributes  for  other  brides;  there  was  but 
one  mind  about  the  present  for  this  particular 


444    FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

bride  going  forth  from  the  Salisbury  School. 
The  watch  and  chain  was  the  only  gift  to  be 
thought  of. 

"Arid  she  wears  that  great  big  old-fashioned 
thing,"  declared  Silvia;  "looks  like  a  turnip  — 
oh,  oh!" 

"And  I  do  believe  that's  always  made  her  so 
impressive  and  scarey  whenever  she  got  into  that 
black  silk  gown,"  said  Amy  Garrett.  "I  never 
thought  of  it  before;  but  it  was  that  horrible  old 
watch  and  chain." 

"Girls,"  said  the  chairman,  "I  do  really  be 
lieve  that  it  would  be  the  very  best  thing  that  we 
could  possibly  give  her.  And  now  I'm  going  to 
tell  who  it  was  who  chose  it." 

"Do  —  oh,  do!"  The  whole  ring  came  to 
gether  in  a  bunch,  as  the  girls  all  crowded  around 
Polly. 

"Alexia!"  Then  Polly  turned  and  gave  a  lov 
ing  little  pat  on  the  long  back. 

"Don't,"  said  Alexia,  shrinking  away  from  the 
shower  of  congratulations  on  having  made  the 
best  choice,  and  thought  of  the  very  thing  that 
was  likely  to  unite  the  whole  school  on  a  gift. 
"It's  nothing.  I  couldn't  help  but  write  it.  It 
was  the  only  thing  I  thought  of." 


"THE   VERY    PRETTIEST   AFFAIR"        445 

"Well,  it  was  just  as  clever  in  you  as  could 
be,  so  there  now!"  Clem  nodded  over  at  her, 
and  buried  all  animosity  at  once. 

"And  think  how  nice  it  will  be,  when  it's  all 
engraved  inside  the  case  with  what  we  want  to 
say,"  said  Polly,  with  shining  eyes. 

"And  a  great  big  monogram  outside,"  said 
Silvia,  with  enthusiasm,  "and  one  of  those 
twisted  chains  —  oh,  how  fine!"  She  shook  out 
her  silver  bracelets  till  they  jingled  all  her  en 
thusiasm;  and  the  entire  committee  joining, 
the  vote  was  taken  to  propose  to  the  rest  of  the 
"Salisbury  girls,"  on  the  morrow,  the  gift  of  a 
watch  and  chain  to  the  future  Mrs.  John  Clemcy. 

And  the  watch  and  chain  was  unanimously 
chosen  by  the  "Salisbury  girls"  as  the  gift  of  all 
gifts  they  wanted  to  bestow  upoi-  their  teacher  on 
her  wedding  day;  and  they  all  insisted  that  Polly 
Pepper  should  write  the  inscription;  so  there 
it  was,  engraved  beautifully  on  the  inner  side  of 
the  case:  "Anstice  Salisbury,  with  the  loving  re 
gard  of  her  pupils."  And  there  was  a  beautiful 
big  monogram  on  the  outside;  and  the  long  chain 
was  double  and  twisted,  and  so  handsome  that 
Silvia's  mother  protested  she  hadn't  a  word  to 
say  but  the  very  highest  praise! 


446     FIVE    LITTLE.    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

Oh,  and  the  presentation  of  it  came  about 
quite  differently  from  what  was  expected,  after 
all.  For  the  gift  was  to  be  sent  with  a  little 
note,  representing  the  whole  school,  and  written, 
as  was  quite  proper,  by  Polly  Pepper,  the  chair 
man  of  the  committee.  But  Miss  Salisbury,  to 
whom  the  precious  parcel  had  been  intrusted, 
said  suddenly,  "Why  don't  you  give  it  to  her 
yourselves,  girls?" 

It  was,  of  course,  the  place  of  the  chairman  of 
the  committee  to  speak.  So  Polly  said,  "Oh, 
would  she  like  to  have  us,  Miss  Salisbury?'' 

"  Yes,  my  dears.  I  know  she  would.  She  feels 
badly  to  go  and  leave  you  all,  you  know,"  and 
there  were  tears  in  the  blue  eyes  that  always 
looked  so  kindly  on  them.  "And  it  would  be  a 
very  lovely  thing  for  you  to  do,  if  you  would 
like  to." 

"We  should  love  to  do  it,"  cried  Polly  warmly, 
"May  we  go  now,  dear  Miss  Salisbury?" 

"Yes, "said  Miss  Salisbury,  very  much  pleased; 
"she  is  in  the  red  parlor." 

So   the   committee   filed   into   the   red   parlor. 
There  sat  Miss  Anstice,  and  —  oh  dear  me !  — 
Mr.  John  Clemcy! 
There  was  no  time  to  retreat;  for  Miss  Sails- 


"THE    VERY    PRETTIEST    AFFAIR"        447 

bury,  not  having  heard  Mr.  Clemcy  come  in, 
was  at  the  rear  of  the  procession  of  girls.  "Here, 
my  dears  —  Anstice,  the  girls  particularly  wan* 
to  see  you  —  oh!"  and  then  she  saw  Mr.  John 
Ciemcy. 

Miss  Anstice,  who  seemed  to  have  dropped  all 
her  nervousness  lately,  saved  the  situation  by 
coming  forward  and  greeting  them  warmly;  and 
when  Mr.  John  Clemcy  saw  how  it  was,  he  went 
gallantly  to  the  rescue,  and  was  so  easy  and 
genial,  and  matter-of-course,  that  the  committee 
presently  felt  as  if  a  good  part  of  their  lives  had 
been  passed  in  making  presentations,  and  that 
they  were  quite  up  to  that  sort  of  thing. 

And  Polly  made  a  neat  little  speech  as  she 
handed  her  the  packet;  and  Miss  Anstice's  eyes 
filled  with  tears  of  genuine  regret  at  leaving  them, 
and  of  delight  at  the  gift. 

"Girls,  do  you  know"  —could  it  be  Miss 
Anstice  who  was  talking  with  so  much  feeling  in 
her  voice?  —  "I  used  to  imagine  that  you  didn't 
love  me." 

"Oh,  that  could  never  be!"  cried  Mr.  Clemcy. 

"And  I  got  so  worried  and  cross  over  it.  But 
now  I  know  you  did,  and  that  I  was  simply 
tired;  for  I  never  could  teach  like  sister,"  —  she 


448     FIVE   LITTLE   PEPPERS   AT    SCHOOL 

cast  her  a  loving  glance  —  "and  I  didn't  really 
love  my  work.  And,  do  you  know,  the  thing 
I've  longed  for  all  my  life  was  a  watch  and 
chain  like  this?  Oh  girls,  I  shall  love  it  always!" 

She  threw  the  chain  around  her  neck,  and  laid 
the  little  watch  gently  against  her  cheek. 

"Oh!"  It  was  Alexia  who  pressed  forward. 
"You'll  forgive  us  all,  won't  you,  Miss  Anstice, 
if  we  didn't  love  you  enough?" 

"When  I  want  to  forgive,  I'll  look  at  my  dear 
watch,"  said  Miss  Anstice  brightly,  and  smiling 
on  them  all. 

"'Twas  that  horrible  old  black  silk  gown 
that  made  her  so,"  exclaimed  Alexia,  as  they  all 
tumbled  off  down  the  hall  in  the  greatest  excite 
ment.  "You  see  how  sweet  she  is  now,  in  that 
white  one." 

"And  the  red  rose  in  her  belt,"  said  Clem. 

"And  her  diamond  ring,"  added  Silvia. 

"And  we're  different,  too,"  said  Clem.  "May 
be  we  wouldn't  love  to  teach  a  lot  of  girls  any 
better  either,  if  we  had  to." 

"Well,  and  now  there's  the  wedding!"  ex 
claimed  Amy  Garrett,  clasping  her  hands,  "oh!" 

"What  richness!"  finished  Akxia. 

And  everybody  said  it  was  "the  very  prettiest 


"  THE    VERY    PRETTIEST    AFFAIR  "         449 

affair;  and  so  picturesque!"  "And  those  dear 
Salisbury  girlsv —  how  sweet  they  looked,  to  be 
sure!"  Why,  St.  John's  blossomed  out  like  a 
veritable  garden,  just  with  that  blooming  com 
pany  of  girls;  to  say  nothing  of  the  exquisite 
flowers,  and  ropes  of  laurel,  and  palms,  and  the 
broad  white  satin  ribbons  to  divide  the  favored 
ones  from  the  mere  acquaintances. 

"And  what  a  lovely  thought  to  get  those  boys 
from  the  Pemberton  School  for  ushers,  with 
Jasper  King  as  their  leader!" 

They  all  made  such  a  bright,  youthful  picture, 
to  be  followed  by  the  chosen  eight  of  the  "Salis 
bury  girls,"  the  very  committee  who  presented 
the  gift  to  the  bride-elect.  There  they  were  in 
their  simple  white  gowns  and  big  white  hats. 

And  then  came  the  little  assistant  teacher  of 
the  Salisbury  School,  in  her  pearl  gray  robe; 
singularly  enough,  not  half  so  much  embarrassed 
as  she  had  often  been  in  walking  down  the  long 
schoolroom  before  the  girls. 

And  Mr.  John  Clemcy  never  thought  of  such 
a  thing  as  embarrassment  at  all;  but  stood  up  in 
his  straightforward,  manly,  English  composure, 
to  take  his  vows  that  bound  him  to  the  little 
school-teacher.  And  Miss  Salisbury,  fairly  re- 


450    FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

splendent  in  her  black  velvet  gown,  had  down 
deep  within  her  heart  a  childlike  satisfaction  in 
it  all.  "  Dear  Anstice  was  happy,"  and  somehow 
the  outlook  for  the  future,  with  Miss  Wilcox  for 
assistant  teacher,  was  restful  for  one  whose  heart 
and  soul  were  bound  up  in  her  pupils'  advance 
ment. 

Miss  Ophelia  Clemcy  blossomed  out  from 
her  retirement,  and  became  quite  voluble,  in 
the  front  pew  before  the  wedding  procession 
arrived. 

"You  see,  it  was  foreordained  to  be,"  she 
announced,  as  she  had  before  declared  several 
times  to  the  principal  of  the  Salisbury  School. 
"The  first  moment  he  saw  her,  Brother  John  was 
fully  convinced  that  here  was  a  creature  of  the 
greatest  sensibility,  and  altogether  charming. 
And,  my  dear  Miss  Salisbury,  I  am  only  com 
monplace  and  practical,  you  know;  so  it  is  all  as 
it  should  be,  and  suits  me  perfectly.  And  we  will 
always  keep  the  anniversary  of  that  picnic,  that 
blessed  day,  won't  we?" 

And  old  Mr.  King  invited  the  eight  ushers 
from  the  Pemberton  School  and  the  committee 
from  the  Salisbury  School  to  a  little  supper  to 
top  off  the  wedding  festivities.  And  Grandpapa 


"THE    VERY    PRETTIEST    AFFAIR"        451 

sat  at  the  head  of  the  table,  with  Mother  Fisher 
at  the  other  end,  and  Dr.  Fisher  and  Mrs.  Whitney 
opposite  in  the  centre.  And  there  were  wed 
ding  toasts  and  little  speeches;  and  everybody 
got  very  jolly  and  festive.  And  the  little  doctor 
looked  down  to  the  table  end  where  he  could  see 
his  wife's  eyes.  "It  reminds  me  very  much  of 
our  own  wedding  day,  wife,"  his  glance  said. 
And  she  smiled  back  in  such  a  way  as  to  fill 
him  with  great  content. 

"And  wasn't  that  reception  in  the  school  par 
lors  too  perfectly  beautiful  for  anything!"  cried 
Polly  Pepper,  in  a  lull,  for  about  the  fiftieth 
time  the  remark  had  been  made. 

"Yes,  and  didn't  Alexia  make  an  awful  blunder 
with  her  paper  of  rice!"  said  Clem  sweetly. 

"I  can't  help  it,"  said  Alexia,  nowise  dis 
turbed;  "the  old  paper  burst,  and  I  had  to  put 
it  in  my  handkerchief.  You  couldn't  expect  me, 
girls,  to  keep  my  wits  after  that." 

"Well,  you  needn't  have  spilt  it  all  over  Miss 
Anstice's  bonnet,"  said  Philena,  laughing. 

"Mrs.  Clemcy's,  you  mean,"  corrected  Jasper. 

"Oh  dear  me!  I  never  shall  get  used  to  her 
new  name,"  declared  Philena. 

"And  I  think  I  got  my  rice  deposited  as  well 


452     FIVE   LITTLE    PEPPERS    AT    SCHOOL 

as  some  of  the  rest  of  you  girls,"  declared  Alexia 
airily. 

"Mine  struck  Mr.  Clemcy  full  in  the  eye," 
said  Silvia;  "then  I  ducked  behind  Polly  Pepper." 

"Oh,  that  was  a  great  way  to  do!"  exclaimed 
Jasper. 

"Oh,  I  saw  her,"  said  Polly,  with  a  little 
laugh,  "and  I  jumped  away;  and  Mr.  Clemcy 
saw  her,  too." 

"Horrors!"  cried  Silvia.  "Did  he?  Oh,  I'm 
frightened  to  death!  What  did  he  look  like, 
Polly?" 

"Oh,  he  laughed,"  said  Polly. 

Just  then  came  a  ring  at  the  doorbell,  sharp 
and  sudden. 

"What  is  going  to  happen?"  cried  Polly,  her 
face  like  a  rose.  "Everything  has  been  beautiful 
to-day;  and  now  I  just  know  something  perfectly 
lovely  is  coming  to  finish  off  with." 

"A  telegram,  sir."  Johnson  held  out  a  long 
yellow  envelope  to  Mr.  King. 

"It's  for  Mrs.  Fisher,"  said  the  old  gentleman. 

So  the  yellow  envelope  went  down  the  table- 
length,  the  color  going  out  of  Polly's  cheek;  and 
she  didn't  dare  to  look  at  Mamsie's  eyes. 

"  Oh  —  the  boys ! "  gasped  Polly.     "  Jasper,  do 


"THE   VERY    PRETTIEST   AFFAIR"        453 

you  suppose?" — What,  she  didn't  finish;  for 
Mother  Fisher  just  then  cried  out,  and  passed 
the  yellow  sheet  to  the  little  doctor.  "Read  it 
aloud/'  was  all  she  said.  But  how  her  black 
eyes  shone! 

"David  took  first  prize  classics.     Fm  picking 
up  a  bit.  JOEL  PEPPER." 


THE  ENIX 


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